We reviewed Panacea’s spectacular album “The Scenic Route” back in ’07 and became big fans of the group. This is a fan created video for their song Trip of the Century, off their debut album, “Ink is My Drink” that dropped in ’06.

Scanz “Prelude To A Legacy” Album Review
I’ve heard a lot of people complain about the Rawkus 50 – a list of the 50 hottest artists in underground hip-hop today. They say the whole thing was a scheme created by Rawkus Records to build their online community. They say Rawkus just picked the 50 artists with the most MySpace friends in an attempt to tap into established fanbases. And in return, they say Rawkus only offered digital distribution to their top 50, something anyone can accomplish these days.

To be honest, I don’t know about any of that. What I do know, however, is that every single one of the Rawkus 50 artists I’ve heard to date has been dope. Each one of the emcees has above average lyrical skills. Each one of the digitally-distributed albums has above average sound quality and production. And from my standpoint, each one of the artists deserves the recognition – regardless of what Rawkus’ intentions may have been. The latest of the group to reach my playlist – Scanz and his debut album “Prelude To A Legacy” – is no exception.

Scanz definitely stands among the elite of underground hip-hop artists today. Though underground, the Philly-based emcee possesses a mainstream-friendly sound combined with a goal of creating conscious hip-hop for the fans. This can be seen throughout the course of “Prelude To A Legacy,” in which the majority of the tracks serve as effective critiques of the current status of hip-hop. There is not a bad song on this entire album, and each of the twelve tracks allows Scanz to demonstrate another in a long line of skills, whether through lyrics, flow or production.

My one problem with the album is that Scanz often spends so much time talking about wack hip-hop and wack rappers, and how he stands apart from the two, that he doesn’t fit in examples of the real hip-hop he promises to bring. Tracks like You Know The Deal, Don’t Front, Make It Happen, Like This, Feel It, Bigger Than Rap, and I Can Teach Ya – while all dope tracks – seem to fit into this category. By the time Scanz states his intention to “light the L/ and write a tale/ ‘bout what I’m feeling inside” in Bigger Than Rap, I started to wonder where those tales were.

However, there are definitely instances in which Scanz shows his ability to add onto his rhyming and production skills by providing a little something different to the listener. In Choose Your Hustle, which gains credibility with an appearance by Akrobatik, Scanz drops an impressive verse that shows his understanding of the business of hip-hop, and his intention to build his career with care:

Yeah I do it for the love but I’m realistic/
And I seen the pimp shit that goes on in between the business/
And the camera, the glitz and the glamour/
Can’t get your shot unless the clip’s in the hammer/
So I been strapped with the hits and the grammar/
Taking opportunities to get what I planned for/
Plant the seed – steady growth is the answer/
Learn from experience and spread like a cancer/

Scanz also shines on more emotionally-based tracks for the ladies, such as Something New, A Dimepiece, and Deep End, each of which allow him to demonstrate a more sincere rhyming approach. Deep End is a track about a man who is struggling to decide between his girl and another love interest, and the following verse contains impressive inner-conflict rhyming:

I must admit you’re looking striking in those/
I love the way that little ring be looking bright in your nose/
And the way that your body shape be fitting tight in your clothes/
But fuck that – gotta get on track and quit wilin’/
You cause all this stress on my chest to keep piling/
You got me going off on my brain like freestyling/
So please darling I’m saying …/
I’m really feeling your vibe and how you doing it/
But shit I need you to fall back/
I’m taking out the key from the doormat/
You better not call back/
You got to understand I can’t be fucking with all that/

And in I Am Hip Hop, Scanz drops a great verse about money that demonstrates his ability to apply analytical thinking to his rhymes:

Well if you don’t got money it’s real/
If you got money, then money is paper with the dollar seal/
Cash rules and it got the power still/
They putting God’s trust on the dollar bill?/
How it feel?/
That nothing you know is real?/
So what’s the deal?/
Here’s something that you can feel/

As far as skills go, Scanz obviously has them. As far as direction goes, Scanz definitely has the right intentions. And as far as debut albums go, “Prelude To A Legacy” gives a great glimpse into Scanz’ potential to be a great emcee. For his next album, I’d just like to hear a little more about Scanz – as a person, not necessarily as a dope emcee – and a little less about everybody else. That could very well be his key to a hip-hop legacy. Either way, pick up a copy of this album. It is definitely worth the listen. Peace.

Album Track Listing:

1. You Know The Deal
2. Don’t Front
3. Something New ft. Yasin
4. Choose Your Hustle ft. Akrobatic
5. Make It Happen
6. Like This
7. Feel It
8. Bigger Than Rap
9. A Dimepiece
10. Deep End
11. I Am Hip Hop
12. I Can Teach Ya

Local groups continue to pack clubs, regional press and radio have taken notice, and new websites and forums have sprouted giving a voice to the community. The strength of the current scene played a decisive factor in Blue Scholars signing this year to the legendary Rawkus Records to release their latest album “Bayani” worldwide and touring nationally to a rapidly growing fanbase.

As Blue Scholars’ following has continued to grow, it has taken them from the mainstage of the Sasquatch Festival to the mainstage of Bumbershoot performing in front of 22,000 people, and several sold out shows at Seattle’s 1200 capacity Showbox Theater. Since releasing their new album this past June, Blue Scholars have been packing shows wherever they play, from New York and Atlanta to San Diego and Bellingham. Having just opened the Atlantis Music Festival in Atlanta and CMJ with Q-Tip, they are wrapping up a Midwest tour with Psalm One. Closing out 2007, Blue Scholars bring it back home for a 5-night run of intimate shows alongside the Northwest’s finest. The Scholars’ hometown throwdown is called “The Program” and brings together the most exciting hip-hop artists in the Northwest over 5 nights at Neumo’s December 18 – 22 for the filthiest celebration of Northwest hip-hop Seattle has seen. Each night will also feature sets by the Northwest’s leading DJ’s, gallery art by some of the scene’s best visual artists, booths from local labels and community activist groups, online interviews with the show’s producers and instructional demonstrations from local producers and mc’s. The whole thing will all be broadcast live with a three camera shoot on SynchronicityLive.com. And there you have it: The Program.

The Program
December 18 – 22, 2007

Tue Dec 18 – Blue Scholars, Swollen Members, Unexpected Arrival, Siren’s Echo :: DJ DV One
Wed Dec 19 -Blue Scholars, Common Market, D. Black, Sleep of Old Dominion, Can-U :: DJ Vitamin D
Thur Dec 20 – Blue Scholars, Saturday Knights (Light In The Attic) , Khingz, Grynch :: DJ B-Mello
Fri Dec 21 – Blue Scholars, Dyme Def, J. Pinder, GMK :: DJ Jake One
Sat Dec 22 – Blue Scholars, Ohmega Watts (Ubiquity), Cancer Rising, The Physics :: DJ blesOne *Neumo’s

In further efforts to stay in motion, Blue Scholars have hit the studio to record their new digital-only EP, “Joe Metro,” before embarking on their upcoming third full-length tour.

With equal attention paid to the stage and the studio, Emcee Geologic and DJ/producer Sabzi bring an innovative yet familiar sound distinguishable from what’s currently blasted on MTV or BET. Prior to the duo’s formation, Geo made local rounds as a battle emcee and spoken-word performer, while Sabzi honed his skills as a classical and jazz-trained pianist while coming up in the indie ska and punk scene. This unlikely partnership set the precedent for what distinguishes the group from the vast sea of independent hip-hop artists – the ability to strike a balance between worlds usually seen distant from one another. Poetic lyricism with beats you can dance to; Marxist theory with Baha’i spirituality with musical influences ranging from Thelonius Monk and Aphex Twin to Marvin Gaye and J Dilla.

Blue Scholars are just as much rooted in community as they are in music. Their experiences in the world of academia provide an intellectual dimension to their craft, while their backgrounds as second-generation sons of working-class immigrants keep the music grounded. Less sloganeering and more storytelling, the current state of Blue Scholars showcases a more focused Geologic and a polished Sabzi coming into their own as a premier DJ-emcee duo.

Blue Scholars will be hitting the road this fall kicking things off at CMJ next week supporting Q-Tip, and continuing to tour through the Midwest and West Coast throughout November and December. They will wrap things up in their homebase curating “The Program”, a five night series showcasing the Northwest scene’s most exciting hip-hop artists. In conjuction with KEXP and The Stranger, the event will commence at Neumo’s December 18th-22nd.

Fall 2007 Tour

Oct 16 NYC, NY @ Gramercy CMJ Opening Party with Q-Tip, Gramercy
Oct 22 Philadelphia, PA @University of Pennsylvania, Houston Hall
Nov 2 Tacoma, WA @ Hell’s Kitchen
Nov 3 Spokane, WA @ Whitworth University

Blue Scholars w/ Psalm One
Nov 13 Iowa City, IA @ Picador
Nov 14 Madison, WI @ Annex
Nov 15 Sioux Falls, IA @ Nuttys
Nov 16 Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
Nov 17 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
Nov 18 Minneapolis, MN@ 7th St
Nov 19 Kansas City, KS @ Record Bar
Nov 20 Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room

Blue Scholars w/ Swollen Members and Evidence
Nov 23 Aspen, CO @ Belly Up
Nov 24 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
Nov 26 Boulder, CO @ Fox Theatre
Nov 27 Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep
Dec 10 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre (also with Eyedea & Abilities)
Dec 12 Bend, OR @ Midtown
Dec 15 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey (also with la coka nostra)
Dec 16 San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord All Ages $10, $12 (just Blue Scholars)

The Program Sponsored by KEXP and The Stranger
Dec 18 – 22 @ Neumos Seattle, WA
Dec 18 – Blue Scholars, Surprise Special Guest (really!), Unexpected Arrival, Siren’s Echo :: DJ DV One
Dec 19 – Blue Scholars. Common Market, D. Black, Sleep of Old Dominion, Can-U ::DJ Vitamin D
Dec 20 – Blue Scholars, Saturday Knights , Khingz, Grynch :: DJ B-Mello
Dec 21 – Blue Scholars, Dyme Def, J. Pinder, GMK :: DJ Jake One
Dec 22 – Blue Scholars, Cancer Rising, The Physics :: DJ blesOne

Panacea “The Scenic Route” Album Review
This is a feel good album – period. That’s about the easiest way I can describe Panacea’s “The Scenic Route.” Such a feel good album, in fact, that I threw it in my headphones this morning and decided to take “the scenic route” to work.  

Normally I jump on the J Train into the city every morning, transfer over to the 6 at Canal Street, and get off at Astor Place only a block from my office. But today – inspired by the relaxing sounds of “The Scenic Route” – I got off at Bowery and decided to walk the rest of the way to work. I just wanted to walk and listen.

In mythology, Panacea was the name of the Greek goddess of cures. Born one of five granddaughters of Apollo, the god of healing, Panacea acquired the ability to heal the sick. With this historical reference in mind, it becomes clear why emcee Raw Poetic and producer K-Murdock call their collaboration Panacea: Their music is comforting and leaves the listener with a feel-good vibe throughout the course of the album and the day.

The Scenic Route
K-Murdock sets the pace for this vibe with a bunch of soulfully laidback tracks. Utilizing a consistent combination of keys, strings and soft horns, K creates a low tempo hip-hop canvas reminiscent of both old school Ali Shaheed Muhammad and modern day 9th Wonder. Each song seems to flow from one to the other, throughout the entire course of the album, creating a serene and peaceful backdrop mixing old and new school hip-hop production techniques.

And Raw Poetic fits in with this production style perfectly. With a melodic and positive rhyme style often reminiscent of a young Common Sense, Raw approaches each track with a humble intellect, often philosophizing on life and reflecting on his past. One of my favorite songs was Pops Said, in which Raw reminisces on some of the things his father taught him and how they help him to think positive:

Pops stayed straight faced no frown
See the world upside when you’re feeling down
I walk my own path now yet repeat the steps
With my weight gained through pictures I see connects
With the patchy beard and my laid back eyes
Chip off the old block yeah the Frank Lloyd tribe
Reminiscent – speak on visions
Or resort missions – yeah I did them
But I need something different y’all
Living on the edge you are fixed to fall
And pops said, “Son you gotta move ahead”
Leave all this behind before you’re gone and dead

But what I liked most about Raw Poetic was his ability to maintain a spiritual and almost earthy tone throughout the course of the album. It really made for inspiring lyrical content. That tone can be seen in the following verse from the album’s title track:

Dope is on a natural high and I’m a natural guy
Won’t cut my hair just so my afro will rise
Love mother Earth ‘cause she’s my natural god
And ricochet back to my people like a bullet that’s wise
Up in your pictures pretty like the heavens and skies
Although where we honor our mothers who keep heaven inside
It’s better than pride – a messy Jessie reverend lies
Let imagination take you and ride

Panacea’s “The Scenic Route” is filled with just this type of feel-good lyricism – with the production to match. I highly recommend picking up a copy. Throw it in on a lazy day, after a long week, or on your next road trip when you’re looking to chill out. But no matter what you do, make sure you take the scenic route. It’ll be well worth the time. Peace.

Album Track Listing:

1. Intro
2. The Scenic Route
3. Flashback to Stardom
4. Pops Said
5. Epiphany
6. Between Earth and Sky
7. Bubble
8. Square 1
9. Blue Ice
10. Walk in the Park
11. Aim High
12. Katana
13. One Shine
14. Outro

Custom Made “Truth Be Told” Album Review
Recently I had a chance to visit a different county within the state that I reside; one in which I had never been before. It was good to get away even for only the few hours in which I was gone. What I noticed was despite the line in which I had to cross to visit this area; the environment was different but still the same and that’s a good thing. I get the same notion when listening to Custom Made’s Truth Be Told.  

No matter what area you are from, there is one thing in common within every community: the grind, the hunger, strength through adversity, racism, influences and more. What makes us unique is our approach to the various things that I mentioned. What Custom Made shows me is that young brothers of different backgrounds and mind states can come together to present something unique using good hip-hop music as the foundation despite their physical location and stereotypes.

Being from L.A., some would expect these emcee’s to use west coast slang and present topics common to the west coast way of life: gangs, what colors to not wear, etc; but these cats sound and paint pictures of their hood differently. They make a conscious effort to stand out but stay real at the same time. I find it pleasing in comparison to what I normally hear. Custom Made reminds me more of some east coast groups like Group Home and Pitch Black due to the sample selections, deliveries and tones of voice.

The production just as the rhyme styles reminds me more of that of the east as well; the 4 bar same chop and drums loops are more common to those from my region. Very rare if at all will you find any trademark west coast arrangements on this EP. The starter track “Where It Goes Down” is impressive despite the long intro; equipped with a deep, harmonious piano chord that creates an instant attention grabber. My second favorite would be “Round Here” for the sample selection and how it is embedded into the hook provided by Custom Made.

To win the attention of the hip-hop community, you have to pay dues and possess something that the community needs. Custom Made appears to be extremely hungry for success and have the lyrical abilities that may be lacking in their region. Who cares if they sound like the east when they are really from the west; hip-hop is universal and as long as you stay true to the culture and yourself, the doors to success are endless.

Lastly, I believe with a change in the drum sounds, less skits, expansion on the sample selection and instrumental presentation, this group will continue to gain international support from the hip-hop community. Throw in a few tracks without samples to expand your horizon, don’t be afraid to create from scratch.

- ScholarMan

Album Track Listing:

1. Where it goes down
2. Gutta rap
3. Rules are for suckaz
4. 07 i see
5. Hop life
6. Im home
7. Crime connection
8. Round here (we never miss)
9. Drop dimes
10. Hungry az fuck (gotta eat)

The Procussions “5 Sparrows for 2 Cents” Album Review
Alright, so this will be the first, and most likely the only time I will review an album that I haven’t even listened to. But I feel compelled to tell you my story of the events surrounding my experience with The Procussions’ “5 Sparrows for 2 Cents.”

Last week, I was getting ready to head to Telluride, Colorado for the annual Bluegrass Festival. Now I know what you’re thinking, but I kinda dig bluegrass music and the festival just packs the town with fun people and dank chronic, among other things. Plus my man Stoyan knows everybody in the town, so we were ready for a great weekend.

In preparation for the seven hour drive, I picked up a couple new CDs, one being The Procussions latest album. I’ve always been a big fan of the Procussions, and I gotta support my Colorado hip-hop. I threw the disk in on the way home, and ran through the tracks, enjoying what I heard. I couldn’t wait to give it a good listen during my road trip the next day.

Unfortunately, that evening some crackheads broke into my car (yeah, fool … for the second time in three months) and jacked my radio which was holding the new “5 Sparrows for 2 Cents” CD. So I only got to play it through one time, and was forced to make the seven hour road trip with no radio, instead being forced to settle with an iPod shared between two grown men. My fault for not taking my face off in the run down, crystal meth infected neighborhood in which I live.

The only thing that has made me feel good about the entire situation is the thought that maybe the kids who jacked my shit listened to the album, and maybe it inspired them to get their fucking hands out of my pockets and accomplish something for themselves. After all, hip-hop for me is a very inspirational and motivational thing, and maybe introducing those kids to some real hip-hop will serve to inspire and motivate them in the same way.

To be honest, I don’t know. I can’t tell you anything about the album, or whether or not it was even a quality release. But maybe the kids who stole it from me can, and maybe it is the type of hip-hop that will make them second guess their actions and the direction of their lives.

Therefore, I went ahead and added the album to my What’s Bumping section, so check it out. In addition, click here to read about the last time my car radio got jacked. Peace.