if you’re just tuning in to the blog you might not know but the group I have the privilege of being a part of, United States of Mind, has released our debut album “Kill The Bullshit” as a free download.
As nobody really reads this blog thankfully our good friends at our favorite site www.potholesinmyblog.com put it up for their readership to peruse over. Jump to their site to check out what they have to say by clicking on their logo at the end of this post. Happy Holidays if I don’t blog out for the rest of the week. All I want for Christmas is your eyes and ears so thanks for lending them to me from time to time. Until next time.
About a year after it’s initial release we have decided to put our debut album up for free download. Why you ask? I’m sure there are some very good reasons. Here are a few I can think of.
1) Everybody seems to be doing it these days
2) We put a subliminal message in the download to make you murder every other rapper alive. Even the dope ones. (of course we hate whack rappers but we also hate rappers more successful than us)
3) At the end of the day we just want you to hear what we’re doing over here. The money and acknowledgment from our peers is nice and all, but it begins and ends with you. We do this to express ourselves and whether you like it or not, we’re satisfied if you’ve just given it a listen so you can make an informed decision. We don’t have any crazy kind of marketing machine or budget or cool friends that make us popular so a free download is our best way to mainline our music directly to the people.
If you like what you hear all we ask is that we let your people know that we’re out here and making music. Please copy this link and spread it around — http://unitedstatesofmind.bandcamp.com/album/kill-the-bullsh-t and when I say spread it around I mean hit your blog, hit your twitter, hit your facebook, hit your friends facebook, hit your myspace (do we still use this), and if you run a site feel free to post it. That’s about all I gotta say about it. Fuck it actually — if you hate it let us know too cause that’s valid. Just feel something. I feel like music has been watered down for so long people have become numb to it and it’s suddenly taken on the form of soilent green or something. It’s like peeps aren’t even hungry for Hip Hop like they used to be. Well I say “Kill That Bullshit”. We cooked something up last year that I feel is gourmet so eat the fuck up and break bread with your fam. Until next time.
What is up my peoples and most importantly what’s good? I write this from the confines of beautiful AJ’s cafe in the heart of downtown ferndale after enjoying a delicious vegan philly steak and cheese sandwich. As I’m about to be off to work at The Bosco I figured I’d spare a few minutes and hip you to the happening on December 26th.
The flyer pretty much says it all in terms of the performances except for the fact that DJ Benny Ben will be spinning. If you need credentials on Benny Ben and you’re from the Detroit area I’m gonna need your credentials first before we even have a discussion on the matter. Moving along….
The point I was getting at that the flyer can only touch on the family aspect of this bill and the mutual respect and admiration between the acts listed on the bill. I’ll start with Detroit CYDI.
As I’m often sleepwalking through life (not in the way of these brainwashed masses but you get the point) I only really woke up to CYDI about a year ago first meeting them individually as people and then getting hip to their music through my man Hubert Sawyers site (www.fryinginvein.com where you can go for things that you don’t know about yet, but will swear you’ve been up on when it blows up). Regardless, they are amazing people (that goes for them and their extended fam — whaddup Stryfe, Notion, Marc Byrd and the million other cats i’m sure i’m forgetting) and the music is eclectic varying style but never really ceases the smooth. Speaking of smooth, Buttermade Records will be in the building (the imprint that released “Turn Up The Smooth” by Stoopz n Breeze) as Blake Eerie and Hugh Whitaker release their much anticipated project “The Lateef EP”.
I had the opportunity to preview some tracks off this project at a listening party earlier this month and from what I’ve heard this joint is crazy. Keeping up with the crazy themes each track on this CD directly coincides production wise with tracks from Yusef Lateefs Detroit project (eat your heart out Danger Mouse). I’ve known both these gentleman through many years and beers so I can’t wait to have a copy of this in my hand. However, the Family Ties vibe extends beyond the groups performing which is why I tried to keep these descriptions as brief as possible. As usual it starts and ends with YOU.
We wanted to do a show around Christmas time for all the friends and fam we got that will be coming from out of town. The music is always important but for me personally on this go round it is ultimately secondary. The performances will be short and sweet so really I’m just looking to chill with all you people who helped make me the person I am (some for the worse. lol. you know who you are but come out anyways and lets reflect on how we haven’t changed a bit.) Trust if you’re reading this you are definitely in that friends and fam category (i’m not big enough to have anything but) so come out and lets share a joke or two and a brew. If that doesn’t get you teary eyed enough I got the clincher. aaaaaaaaand ACTION –
don’t really got much to say, but i am excited. the album has been sent off to be manufactured and the release will be Saturday Febuary 28th at Elements Gallery in Beautiful Dowtown Detroit. This will also mark the return of kill the bullshit which will take place the last Saturday of every month. This album has been quite awhile in the making so i truly hope you will enjoy it. I will of course be hitting you guys off with more information as the date nears and begging you for help, but for now i just wanted to share this with you.
also don’t think i haven’t been keeping busy. been in the lab so should have some more projects coming out in 09 for you guys to put your ear on. just keep checking for me and spread the word. let your people know that United States of Mind is coming.
let me start by saying it is in the friends and fam section but i don’t know these dudes from adam. just didn’t have a better category to put it in and they are brothers in arms in the fact that they make music from the heart. just saw this vid over at www.detroitrap.com in the forums. don’t know how to throw the video directly in the blog but do the extra effort and click on it. you’ll definitely digg. the vibe of the beat is dope, and the concept of the track is something a brotha can relate to right now. the vid is the ish to. it’s a top to bottom smash in my opinion and seeing things like this makes me have faith in music. share in my faith and let me know what you think.
Whaddup world. I would like to take the time today to introduce you to Zo! and Asylum 7. They have just released a new album called “Overdue Process” and you can sample some of the tracks HERE.
I’m not really an album reviewer and I do know both of them personally so I am biased but I will say this. For all you jazz heads and cats that like to just chill and vibe out through the head phones, this is most definitely the album for you. I have only given it a couple listens so it would be an understatement to state how dope the lyrics are because you have to listen to what Asylum is saying over and over before it truly sets in (remember the times where you actually listened to an album for more than a week…..well this would be a return to that form). The lyrical topics range on a number of topics, but I am a big fan of “One Bad Thing”. It’s just the way A7 paints the picture of the day that has me on repeat. I also love the vibe of the title track “Overdue Process”. I could go on and on cause you really won’t skip a track. alright, one more in that “Crushing” is the summer cruising with your chick album.
Once again I could keep going, but make up your own opinions. Check the link i put in the first few sentences and comment back here on what you think. It is available on itunes and amazon and all that (brothas handle biz). This album is definitely playable all year round (especially in the evenings), but i really can’t wait to play this joint in the summer in the ride. I think you’ll agree. Till next time.
The Fakehunters are some cats for France that are making dope shit so i had to fuck with em. you can check out what they do @ http://www.myspace.com/fakehunters and there you can find out collaboration. It’s a rough mix, but you’ll get the point as usual. The song is called “Life for Granted”. You will also be able to find the song on my myspace page @ www.myspace.com/cooperativeopposites. I know not many are checking this right now as it is new but I hope people will comment and give opinions. i am not afraid of criticism. in fact since i am putting myself out there, i guess i am encouraging it. Let me know what you think and please support the fakehunters. For one they are dope and secondly they support me. I’ll keep ya updated.
