It's hard to evaluate life-threatening illnesses if you skipped med school to kick rhymes. Still, countless members of the rap community diagnosed Boston MC Akrobatik (real name: Jared Bridgeman) on Twitter, spreading unsubstantiated reports that he had suffered a heart attack, and subsequently slipped into a coma, on May 12. Some gossipers meant well. Others were just feeding the frenzy. But the only slice of the story that most of them got right is that there's an all-star benefit for Akro this Saturday at the Middle East. "I [...]
I know, I post the same song every year for Memorial Day, but I don't care because this song is bad-ass! First, this song is sort of a throw back to the origins of hip-hop in that it's a protest song, questioning why the US military is in Iraq. Second, it calls out the Bush administration for having no proof on "weapons of mass destruction." Third, while he questions authority, the narrator in the song also takes tremendous pride in being a soldier and doing his job well. Despite the fact that the song is from 2005, it's lyrics [...]
Can a track be slept on if it never was intended to go big? Every song on this collaboration between the best Boston has to offer (Akrobatik & Mr. Lif) had absolutely zero chance of making its way onto the radio. And that's just the way they wanted it. As the opener to Black Dialogue , this gem features one of the noisiest, dirtiest beats you'll ever put through your headphones. Ak and Len are more than up to the challenge of matching all that grunge with lyrical niceties. The Perceptionists "Let's [...]
The Best Route by Mr. Lif "The Best Route" by The Perceptionists (Mr. Lif & Akrobatik) produced by Batsauce from his "Summertime" album.
New track "The Best Route," which is off Batsauce's Summertime album featuring The Perceptionists, a collaboration of Mr. Lif and Akrobatik. The Best Route by Mr. Lif DOWNLOAD: The Perceptionists (Mr. Lif & Akrobatik) - The Best Route Subscribe in a reader
Sorry about the lack of posts lately. The man is working me to the bone. Here are two tracks for this fine American holiday. The first is from the second most underrated songwriter in the US (the first being Chris Knight ). James McMurtry - Memorial Day.mp3 Buy : Childish Things (2005) This song is a bit dated, but I think it still kicks fucking ass! The Perceptionists - Memorial [...]
One hurdle that we'll surely collide with in composing our exalted list of hip-hop greats is where, if, and how many Boston rap artists belong. No doubt we're partial around here – after all, we've collectively been propping this scene for decades – but that shouldn't cloud judgment. Nonetheless; Lif should be here whether the arbiters are from Boston, Brooklyn, or Botswana. In fact, I bet that many of the obvious greats – from Chuck D and KRS to Kweli and Black Thought – would agree that the Bean's premier rap intellectual deserves this honor. [...]
Who is this dashing young gent? Why it's Mr. Lif of the Perceptionists... I did a double take when he walked in the office this morning. Looking 30lbs. lighter and 15 years younger. Side note: Only on JumpTheTurnstyle would another man's haircut be conisdered a "world exclusive". Lulz.
Hey kids. Happy weekend. I come with great news. As I'm sure is the case with a lot of other hip-hop writers, I've spent the past three days carefully listening to Mr. Lif 's soon-to-drop disc, I Heard It Today . And it's tremendous - at this juncture that's the best I can do for a description; some joints are still marinating. Right now I we can't offer anything that's not already on Lif's MySpace page (though we have filed a request for an official JTTS [...]
DOWNLOAD: Mr. Lif - I Heard It Today Newness from our good friend Mr. Lif.
Fakts One Long Range / Green Streets / BUY Out of the vaults comes an almost forgotten record from Boston producer/DJ, Fakts One. Long Range out this week, a dusty but impressive collection of works enlisting the likes of Little Brother, fellow (and former) Perceptionists Mr. Lif and Akrobatik, Army of the Pharoahs, Boot Camp Clik, Planet Asia and [...]
So I'm quite drawn to beautiful songs that have a touch of melancholy about them. I had a squiz through a box of old CDs and these are my classic melancholy cuts. Ty - Rain The Perceptionists - Breath in the Sun Jill Scott - Rasool You can purchase the Ty album from Ninja Tune here , the Perceptionsists from Def Jux here and the Jill Scott from Amazon here
JumpTheTurnstyle
Rockstar Aimz
The Smoking Section
Raw Drive- The Vice President of Soul
World of Underground Hip Hop
The Daily Rind
Upside Down Stupid Hat
Bison - Quill
Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
Music Singles Chart #109
