Filet of Soul aka NGAFSH had his start in the innovative art form in 1985 as a dj(DJ Filet). He started rapping in 1987 and shortly after joined in with Chillin Villain Empire (C.V.E.). They would go to Venice Beach and anywhere rappers hung out to battle MCs, keeping their skills sharp. NGAFSH has been on the LA Underground Hip Hop scene since 1989 by way of the Goodlife Cafe. There is an independent film entitled, “This Is The Life”, highlighting Fish, CVE and many Goodlife MCs. NGAFSH curr…
Produced by Christian (track 1); Tha Dude C (2); Unstable (3, 9, 10, 12, 16, 17); J Nasty (4, 6, 13); NgaFsh (5, 7); Grim Reefah (8, 15); Agartha Audio (14); Killer and Boss Sick (18).
TRACK LISTING
1. Intro
2. Gon Knokk
3. Hazardous Material
4. Let It Slap
5. It’s So Amazing
6. Caller ID
7. Scream
8. It’s Senseless
9. This Is Fresno (feat. Cory / Tha Dude C)
10. Club Girl
11. This Is Ours (feat. Megabusive)
12. Gotta Cum Up
13. Let’s Hook Up
14. Focused (feat. Nuvethad (CVE))
15. Ride To This
16. 4 Da West (feat. TJI Uncle)
17. How Ya Do that (feat. Nga Juana)
18. Killin Ta Innovate
I’m biased towards Chicago music. Even though this is free I probably wouldn’t have checked it out if it wasn’t from Chicago. It doesn’t hurt that she’s down with All Natural either. I thought I never heard her before but as it turns out, I have. One of those Family Tree albums & maybe a couple other random things. But this right here is the prelude to her debut album. Aside from being one of those artist based mixtapes that I usually hate on it’s actually mixed, courtesy Mr Roper, which helps things.
I was actually kinda impressed with this effort. There’s always the stigma that “oh, it’s a girl…. it’s gonna be wack” but I could dig it. Sometimes the flow gets a little repetitive/stuck in a formula but other than that it’s pretty solid. There’s a couple songs that are just as good, or better than the best songs on all the major label/established artists albums that have dropped this week. If she’s comfortable enough to ‘waste’ a couple of these joints on a mixtape then I can only imagine what the album is like.
On Reflection Eternal’s 2000 album “Train of Thought,” Talib Kweli challenged fans, and himself, to “do what comes naturally.” After years of recording on mainstream labels, he now has the chance to produce exactly what he wants-and feels he needs-to produce: an album straight from his mouth to the ears of his fans. Invoking the true meaning of MC, Master of Ceremonies, Kweli brings incredible power to his live shows and feeds off the spontaneous energy of his audiences. Being able to interact directly with his audience and the musicians he most respects, he has created an album and a sound that best reproduces that ceremony for his fans. Finally, after serious urgency in the studio, Kweli presents ‘Gutter Rainbows,’ an album that takes a trip back to childhood while marking the newest stage in his long and dynamic career.As a boy growing up in Brooklyn, Kweli saw gutters that ran with dirt, oil and water, revealing a shimmering rainbow to his child’s eyes. Drawing its title from this memory, this album puts at the raw center what his music has been doing for years: finding and preserving the beautiful in the hideous; the rainbows in the gutter. Weaving the lyrical and the gritty, the autobiographical with an honest, no-holdsbarred hip-hop spirit; Kweli sticks fiercely to what feels true to him in creating the sound of this album. Without being tied to any particular label’s conception of what his sound should be or when his work should hit his fans, Kweli is free to build his most personal album yet in both content and motivation. Kweli’s true solo career has only just begun, and although the future holds more collaboration, “Gutter Rainbows” marks a new stage in the long and ever-evolving career of Talib Kweli.
This newest release, recorded on his time and with his talent as the driving force, proves Kweli is a complete and formidable musician-it presents the depth and breadth of his experience and ability, and sets a new bar for the cutting edge of hip-hop music.
“Gutter Rainbows” was recorded with the help of incredibly talented musicians from across the country. Eric Krasno, Jean Grae, Strong Arm Steady, Iron Solomon, Outasight, Kendra Ross, Sean Price, 88-Keys, Marco Polo, Ski Beatz, M-Phazes, S-1, E. Jones, Oh No and others make appearances.
Though originally slated to be a digital-only release, Javotti Media/ 3D will be releasing Talib Kweli’s forthcoming Gutter Rainbows on CD & Limited Multi-Color Swirl LP. In keeping with Talib’s desire to release this album 100% independently, the CD will only be sold to independent / Mom & Pop music stores.
1. After The Rain (produced by 88-Keys)
2. Gutter Rainbows (produced by M-Phazes)
3. So Low (produced by Shuko)
4. Cold Rain (produced by Ski Beatz)
5. Mr. International feat. Nigel Hall (produced by S1)
6. I’m On One (produced by KHRYSIS!)
7. Wait For You feat. Kendra Ross (produced by S1)
8. Ain’t Waiting feat. Outasight (produced by 6th sense)
9. Palookas feat. Sean Price (produced by Marco Polo)
10. Friends & Family (produced by E. Jones)
11. Tater Tot (produced by Nick Speed)
12. How You Love Me feat. Blaq Toven (produced by Blaq Toven)
13. Uh Oh feat. Jean Grae (produced by Oh No)
14. Self Savior feat. Chace Infinite (produced by Maurice Brown)
01_Yahzarah & Phonte - Cry Over You
02_Carl Thomas - Anything
03_Kev Bown, Jean Grae & Phonte - United Soul
04_De La Soul & Carl Thomas - It’s Like That
05_Jill Scott, Common & Bilal - Funky For You
06_Ghostface Killah & John Legend - Let’s Stop Playing
07_Jaheim - Aint Leavin Without You
08_Moka Only - Moon Burn
09_Guru & Bilal - Certified
10_Dwele & Slum Village - How I Deal
11_Rhymefest & Phonte - Say Wassup
