Mix Tape: DJ Vee - H*E*R*D Mix

I'm dusting off an oldie but an undeniable goodie today, thanks to international mystery man DJ Vee going digital with his most excellent mix tape, H*E*R*D.

This mix was the cause of much beard strokery in the GOMWAB's former North London digs three-odd years ago when it was released on IndiBritKiwi Vee's excellent The Elephant label.

H*E*R*D ticks what I'm guessing are all the boxes for readers of this site.

There's head-nodding hip hop from the likes of Cut Chemist and Red Astaire; beat-laden soul from Julien Dyne and Soul Snaps; reggae-tinged business from R.A. The Rugged Man and I-Wayne vs. Overproof Soundsystem. Classic material, alright.

You can stream or download H*E*R*D below:

Album Stream: Curren$y - The Stoned Immaculate

Curren$y - a.k.a. Captain Greenthumb - has decided to let the cat out of the bag a little early today, posting his latest album, The Stoned Immaculate, in full on Soundcloud for your listening pleasure.

Like a bit of try before you buy? Here's your chance, then...sit back, relax and listen. The Stoned Immaculate is released next week (5 June):

Video: Pete Rock's Record Collection

When it comes to digging for beats, it's hard to go past the likes of the number one soul brother and bonafide record fiend Pete Rock.

Pete's hefty stash of beats is undoubtedly aided by his stacks and stacks of wax. We're talking tens upon tens of thousands of records here, folks.

But as Mr Rock shows in a recent interview with the folks from Fuse, he's got a good handle on where he keeps his gems.

New Music: Big Boi & Theophilus London – 'She Said OK'

What are some of the benefits of being famous? Well, if you're Big Boi or Theophilus London, apparently you can ask the lay-deez to show some skin and they'll happily oblige.

Hell, BB and Theo don't even have to say please, let alone grovel. That's the pull that musicians have, my friends.

Well, that's what you're bound to think after listening to 'She Said Okay' anyway, where there's female private parts being whipped out for our rapping friends and their crooning homeboy Tre Luce.

Mix Tape: GLC - Cathedral

GLC, the Kanye West old boy and Windy City spitter (hmmm, that could lead to problems) has been quietly plugging away in the fringes as of late.

A few months back he turned in a nice cameo for his home town chums The O'Mys on 'Living Wrong', one of the better tuned from their latest mix tape Chicago Style.

G obviously liked what he heard from Chicago Style producers Blended Babies, because he's shoulder tapped them to handle the board work on his latest effort, a mix tape by the name of Cathedral that sees him move into centre stage.

Under The Radar: SLIMKID3 - 'Another Day Another Dollar EP'

It's been a good 20 years since SoCal kids The Pharcyde burst out of the blocks with their debut LP Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde. 

But where are they now? Good question. Aside from the occasional European tour and random release aside, I couldn't really tell you.

That is, until an EP from Pharcyder Slim Kid Tre Hardson fell into my grubby wee mitts.

It turns out that Tre - SLIMKID3 these days - has been in the studio with DJ Nu-Mark, with the pair putting out a little two song EP last year.

New Music: House Shoes - 'Sweet' (Feat. Danny Brown)

With an EP out now and an album on the way next month, Detroit champion and long-time Dilla associate House Shoes is clearly knee deep in the beats right now.

His latest release, The Time EP, is out now, bit it doesn't stop there. Oh no, no, no.  

The Time is the place setter for Let It Go, House Shoes' LP which is set to drop next month. If you're knee deep in beats, one release clearly won't do.

New Music: 'Tonight' (Feat. J-Live and Lucious Beats)

DJ Numark - one half of the funky backbone for the now-defunct Jurassic 5 alongside fellow zigga-ziggaist Cut Chemist - is gearing up for his debut solo album, Broken Sunlight.

And in a move that's sure to win over the vinyl fans, it looks like he's going to be drip feeding two tunes a month over seven months through a string of 10 inch releases (digital too, of course).

A few tunes are doing the rounds already - including tracks featuring Large Professor and Bumpy Knuckles - but it's 'Tonight' featuring J-Live and Lucious Beats that's got my head nodding. Good beats, good rhymes, good times.

New Music: Herma Puma - Synchro Remixed EP 1

Transatlantic hip hoppererers Herma Puma have taken their long distance musical partnership to the next stage today, turning in a remix EP of tunes from their LP Synchromystic.

With the help of the folk at First Word Records, British gentleman Pimpernel Jones and his Chicagoan counterpart Simple X (one half of Tensei when he's not Herma-ing) have wranggled in a gaggle of producers to lovingly rework their tunes.

Under The Radar: Prince of Ballard - Royal Edits

Every so often, my fellow Grumpy Old Man With A Beard brethren Zen pops out of the woodwork with some music recommendations. And when he does, I tend to listen.

So when a link to a blog post from a good five years ago landed in my inbox courtesy of my good man this afternoon, I did just that.

I listened, and listened, and then wondered why I'd never heard of Prince of Ballards before. I don't know much about the good Prince (pictured - I think?), but I now know he makes some grand edits.

Competition: Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) @ London Ticket Giveaway

Alright ya'll, it's time for another give away. This time I've got a little somthin' somethin' for my UK people (London to be precise).

Yasiin Bey - you'll probably know him better as Mos Def -  is rolling through town next week, taking to the stage on Saturday, 26 May at the HMV Forum in Kentish Town.

Rather than focusing on his latest (greatest?) album, The Ecstatic, word on the street is that Mosiin will be rocking a set that spans the last 13 years of his music-making.

I've got a couple of double passes  to this one (tip of the cap to Mean Fiddler), so let's stop typing and give these bad boys away.

Video: Torae - 'That Raw'

How long has it been since the Chocolate Boy Wonder™ Pete Rock has blessed these humble pages? Too long, I say.

So let's call on Torae, a man who clearly has good taste in producers, to fix that.

'Rae's latest album, For The Record, boasts a quality beat from Pete named 'That Raw', with laid back, head nodding grooves a plenty.

Now, 'That Raw' has been given the video treatment – and it's not your run of the mill small budget video, either.

New Music: Yungun & Mr Thing - The FRMX EP

Blighty stalwarts and boom bap enthusiasts Yungun and Mr Thing let off The FRMX EP earlier today for your downloading pleasure.

But hang on a tick - what's a FRMX? Yungun, you're on: "What's a FRMX? Well it's halfway between a freestyle and a remix. Have a listen and it'll make sense."

"These are alternative versions of a few tracks from the Grown Man Business album and the Jack The World mixtape. Me and Mr Thing did them just for fun - hope you enjoy them too!"

Right, that clears that up. You can stream or download The FRMX EP by Yungun and Mr Thing below:

Gig: Rock The Bells 2012 Lineup Announced

Every year, Rock The Bells - the hip hop festival to end all hip hop festivals - manages to pull together a jaw-dropping line up of talent, and 2012 is no different.

Sure, there are some clangers in there this year (Kid Cudi as a headliner? Really?).

But they're well and truly outweighed by quality (old timers like the Hit Squad, Missy Elliott and Timbaland and Ice Cube and new jacks such as Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul).

Check the full line up to the left and either a) get ready to buy your tickets if you're States-side or have deep pockets, or b) have a bit of a sulk if you're not going to be able to make it. If you need me I'll be sulking in the corner.

New Music: Oddisee - Odd Renditions EP

What a nice way to start the day. A free EP from the man Oddisee? Can't go wrong I tells ya.

This latest mini opus is called Odd Renditions, and boasts four quality cuts which Odd has remixed and rapped over.

All sorts drop by in this one, with Bon Iver rubbing shoulders with Marvin Gaye. A nice way to great the dawn of the day, for real.

You can stream or download Odd Renditions by Oddisee below:

Mix Tapes: Double dose from Showbiz & AG and Erick Sermon

Free mix tapes aren't strictly the domain of up and coming artists these days. Yep, the veterans know the importance of giving out some good free stuff, too.

And today I have two freebies from some old dogs that are well worth a check out - Showbiz & AG and Erick Sermon, come on down!

New Music: Wais P - 'Put Jewels On It'

While there might be a lot of shiny rocks in this post, this song might not be what you think it it.

Nope, there's no blood diamonds here - just some good old hip hop where the gems are of the musical variety.

Wais P, a Brooklynite MC, has linked up with Statik Selektah on the beat and Roc Marciano on the vocal help out to 'Put Jewels On It'.

New Music: Home Brew - 'Just Another (Get Down Syndrome Mix)'

Some tasty booty action from my bredren Maz Def and Sean Deans today, with the pair burning the midnight oil in Melbourne one evening not so long ago to turn out this tasty, tasty beat treat.

The Get Down Syndrome Mix of 'Just Another' is one part 'Get Down' (courtesy of Nas) and one part Home Brew (the Kiwi hip hop crew, not the unpalatable beer that your Dad used to make in the garden shed).

New Music: Azealia Banks - 'Jumanji'

A few months back, you couldn't turn on a radio without hearing young upstart Azealia Banks' '212'.

Well, at least the handful of radio stations I listen to. I don't think you're going to here this on Classic Hits for a few years at least.

'212' gave Azealia a chance to talk all sorts of game, whether it was about eating plums in the evening or showing a limited geographical knowledge ('Parisian' isn't a place, dear).

Now she's back with 'Jumanji', slowing the pace down a little but still talking all sorts of shit.

New Music: Yasiin Bey, dead prez & Mike Flo – Made You Die (Trayvon Martin Tribute)

The whole Trayvon Martin incident is worthy of getting even the more placid amongst us a little fired up (if you don't know what the 'incident' is, you need to pay more attention to the world).

The artist formerly known as Mos Def isn't what you'd call a traditional wall flower. I wouldn't accuse dead prez and Mike Flo of playing the background easily, either.

So it makes sense that when these MCs had a few things off their chest on all things Trayvon, they did so the best way they knew how - by writing a song about it.