Guess who stopped by NBC's Late Night With Jimmy Fallon last night? Mos Def Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli performing "Little Brother" as Black Star along with a little support from The Roots. "Fulfillment of a dream" is what Questlove tweeted right after performing the J-Dilla produced track.

Black Star also performed "You Already Knew" which is kinda new and is a cut off the duo's mixtape called Aretha, the Aretha Franklin tribute. Good things happening to the duo, 2012 looking up for classic hip-hop.

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"undun is an existential re-telling of the short life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999). Through the use of emotives and Redford's internal dialogues the album seeks to illustrate the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out 'on the corner'. Utilizing a reverse narrative arc, the album begins as the listener finds Redford disoriented--postmortem--and attempting to make sense of his former life. As he moves through its pivotal moments he begins to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming undun."

Here is the much awaited conclusion to the undun video series which is ironically the first tune off the upcoming album. "Sleep" is of course a follow-up to the The Roots' gritty conceptual of its preceding counterparts. It features Aaron Livingston is produced by Hot Sugar.

If you haven’t been up to speed with the fictional on Redford Stephens upon whom undun is based, the basic concept is that the his story will be told in reverse, meaning that this first track is in fact the end of Redford’s story (via Pigeons and Planes). Purposely, the story was made unclear whether he is the killer or the person killed but either way, putting together all the clues, it all suggests that life ends with murder.

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live” – Norman Cousins

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Says Mick Boogie:

"Last month, I deejayed one of the release parties for Need For Speed: The Run. Truthfully, the game is amazing. It feels like you're really on the road driving your own car from Cali to New York. I checked out the website and they had some awesome trailers that really had me psyched to play the game. They used a lot of cool tracks in some of their trailers... From bands that I love like The Black Keys. As I was flying back from San Francisco to NYC over the weekend, I realized I was making the same path the characters in the game must complete.

So I made this mix to coincide with the game, the music, and the cities it takes you through, inspired by the journey. Among the regions represented are Philadelphia (The Roots), Ohio (The Black Keys, and Chicago (Common). It's a true racing soundtrack... Hence the title The Race. Play it while driving. Play it while running. Mute your TV and play it while gaming. The important thing is... Just play it."

Download: The Race by Mick Boogie

Track List:

01. Thurzday - The Race (Intro)
02. Black Keys - Ohio
03. Black Keys - Ain't Nothing Like You (feat. Mos Def & Jim Jones)
04. Phoenix - Run Run Run
05. Cocaine 80 - Six Feet Over (feat. Common)
06. The Roots - Proceed (Beatminerz Remix)
07. Black Keys - Everlasting Light (The Mummers Remix)
08. Del The Funky Homosapien - Calculate
09. Amtrac - What To Say
10. Yonas Michael - It All Started With The Ooh Wee
11. London Souls - Old Country Road
12. Rolling Stones - Gimmie Shelter
13. Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers (The Magician Remix)
14. Silver Medallion - Lost Ones
15. Girls Against Boys - She's Lost Control
16. Gnarles Barkley - Run
17. Endless Boogie - Gimme The Awesome
18. Yelawolf - Pop The Trunk (Bones Version)

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"undun is an existential re-telling of the short life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999). Through the use of emotives and Redford's internal dialogues the album seeks to illustrate the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out 'on the corner'. Utilizing a reverse narrative arc, the album begins as the listener finds Redford disoriented--postmortem--and attempting to make sense of his former life. As he moves through its pivotal moments he begins to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming undun."

Right on time is The Roots' next installment to their video series for their soon to be released album, undun. For those of you who have tuned-in just now, this is the third video following "Make My" and "Tip The Scale."

"Stomp" the same concept as the others and almost similar in length with only a run time of a minute and a half. This time around, the video focuses on the nightly exploits of a robber. Most disturbing and effective video of the three (via Pigeons & Planes). Save the date. undun oout on December 8.

"Sometimes you have to pick the gun up to put the gun down. - Malcolm X"

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It's been a long time coming but UK-based DJ Eric Lau is back and he gets another chance to work with Detroit's finest, Guilty Simpson, for his most recent release, "The Mission." It will be part of an upcoming project, a finale for the year of 2011 which will drop in less than a wee via Kilawatt Music.

We get the same Lau feel on this one, Eric Lau 101. Feel good and super smooth. Very easy to listen to. Stream the beat after the skip.

 

For those who are new to the Eric Lau experience, I'm including a bonus download so the you get the real feel of what Lau 101 really is. A 52-minute "2011 Asian Tour Mix" via BTS which includes gifts from J Dilla, The Roots, Erykah Badu and more.  Enjoy the experience!

Bonus Download: BTS Radio Guest Mix – Eric Lau (2011 Asia Tour Mix) 

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?uest of The Roots deserves his fame. His music has been as smooth and outsized as his personality since day one, lending The Roots a consistency throughout two decades plus of musical excellence. Check out the perfect neo-soul on Illadelph Halflife’s “What They Do” where the drums hit hard enough to bolster the slow burn of the other instrumentation.  And, on the other side of his career there is the soulful funk of “Long Time,” the only upbeat song on Game Theory, wherein Bunny Sigler plays himself and Peedi Peedi drops an excellent verse.  All powered by a modern-day icon whose day job is Jimmy Fallon’s drummer. — Jonah Bromwich (via Passion of the Weiss)

MP3: What They Do? (feat. Raphael Sadeeq) by The Roots

Bonus Download:

MP3: Long Time (feat. Peedi Peedi & Bunny Sigler) by The Roots

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"undun is an existential re-telling of the short life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999). Through the use of emotives and Redford's internal dialogues the album seeks to illustrate the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out 'on the corner'. Utilizing a reverse narrative arc, the album begins as the listener finds Redford disoriented--postmortem--and attempting to make sense of his former life. As he moves through its pivotal moments he begins to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming undun."

Build-up is growing and out goes another video part of the upcoming concept album of The Roots, undun. After the release of "Make My" by the rap collective legend comes another gritty black-and-white clip of a young man of potential taking a wrong turn for the worst.

"Tip The Scale" features Dice Raw and is cut number 9 off the album. It is the kind of music you would expect from group, the kind with substance and the perfect display of musicality that will surely make your head bob to the beat. Again the video is short but made on purpose to keep us hangin' for some more.

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"undun is an existential re-telling of the short life of one Redford Stephens (1974-1999). Through the use of emotives and Redford's internal dialogues the album seeks to illustrate the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out 'on the corner'. Utilizing a reverse narrative arc, the album begins as the listener finds Redford disoriented--postmortem--and attempting to make sense of his former life. As he moves through its pivotal moments he begins to deconstruct all that has led to his (and our own) coming undun."

December 6th is the date of the release of The Roots' conceptual thirteenth studio album, undun, via Def Jam Records. In anticipation of the release, they drop visuals for "Make My" featuring Big K.R.I.T., the first out of four videos, also part of the 10 song narrative that will be told in reverse beginning with the end of Stephens’ life. 

The video was directed, shot & edited by Clifton Bell, who illustrated a 2-minute dark and violent clip of an extremely bloody shootout between two men all in slow motion and in black & white. "Visually striking and powerful" as a whole.  

Each Tuesday at 12:06 p.m. for the next three weeks, the Roots will release a new video from the album. The next one will be "Stomp". (via Pitchfork)

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Oh yeah! Official announcement of a new album from The Roots called undun. Pretty heavy stuff included in the LP. A conceptual actually, an "existential re-telling of the short life of Redford Stephens (1974-1999)." Basically, the album "seeks to illustrate the intersection of free will and prescribed destiny as it plays out 'on the corner." 

So who is Redford Stephens? No idea on my part but according to drummer, ?uestlove, he is someone who was not born a criminal but grows up to be a misunderstood one anyway? Confusing, I know. Here is more on the concept.

Says ?uestlove:

"undun is the story of this kid who becomes criminal, but he wasn't born criminal." He adds, "He's not the nouveau exotic primitive bug-eyed gunrunner like Tupac's character Bishop in Juice... he's actually thoughtful and is neither victim nor hero. Just some kid who begins to order his world in a way that makes the most sense to him at a given moment ... at the end of the day ... isn't that what we all do?"

Very interesting... Can't wait to get my hands on the LP and experience it in full. It gets released on the 6th of December via Island Def Jam Recordings. I got for you the first single off the album featuring Big K.R.I.T. with "Make My." Sit tight for the official which will be released on the 1st of November on iTunes.

 

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Check out this instrumental mix from the very soulful, Freddie Joachim. This mix is not to be ignored. It features some of the hottest instrumental beat masters in the business. Cuts from Eric Lau, The Roots, Oddisee, Exile, Flying Lotus and a lot more. Kick back and enjoy the beats!

Track Listing:

1. Eric Lau - What The World Should Be
2. Slakah The Beatchild - When The Night Stood Still
3. The Roots - Hall & Oates
4. Eulorhythmics - Hot & Nasty Instrumental
5. Freddie Joachim - Quick
6. Freddie Joachim - Eleven
7. Slakah The Beatchild - Butta Fat Vibes (feat. D10 On Rhodes)
8. NoAlias - What If
9. Dert - Untitled
10. Freddie Joachim - Goodnight
11. Hudson Mohawke - 3:30
12. Oddisee - Anticipation
13. Kev Brown - When I Call
14. Mndsgn - Quite Simple
15. Exile - In Love (Milo1 Remix)
16. Louis Bordeux - You
17. 14KT - The Inside
18. Freddie Joachim - I Want To Know
19. Comfort Fit - Go On, Take It Further
20. DJ Cam Quartet - Visions
21. Duke High - It's All Good
22. Duke High - Sweet And Lowdown
23. 20syl - Untitled
24. Choice37 - Conversate Instrumental
25. Elaquent - The Love
26. Mabanua - Peace In Mind
27. Freddie Joachim - Temptress
28. Madlib - King Chop (Top Line)
29. Kev Brown - Whoever Programmed Us
30. Afta-1 - The Time In Between
31. Afta-1 - Nightlight
32. Free The Robots - Turbulence
33. Freddie Joachim - Static
34. Question - Look To The Sky
35. FS Green - Awesome
36. Kenn Starr - Carry On Instrumental
37. Freddie Joachim - The 54
38. Flying Lotus - Computer Face/Pure Being3

Download: Patterns Instrumental Mix by Freddie Joachim

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