Uncommon Records artist Dig Dug caught my eye a couple years ago when he dropped “Tales From the Cafetorium” – an album he created with a bunch of elementary school students as part of an after-school program. Now the Berkeley-based underground hip-hop artist is returning with his new crew Agartha Audio, and their new album “The Hollow Earth” – which is apparently somewhat of a sci-fi concept that sticks to the overarching theme of the Reptilian Agenda. The Butterfly Effect is the first leak from that album, and features Cam on the mic with Dig Dug on production. Click below to listen to Agartha Audio’s The Butterfly Effect:

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And click the following link to download the track for FREE: Download

Never heard of this cat, but he seems to have skills on the mic. The beat is produced by NASA of NYC’s own Uncommon Records.

I first came across these cats a while back when they dropped their video for Hermit Kingdom – a political track about events in North Korea. Now The Presence returns with Absentia, from their upcoming album “We Want the Winter.” Apparently, “We Want the Winter” is a concept album about a New Orleans citizen that’s forced to leave his home town after Katrina and it’s aftermath. The album flows chronologically, following the character on his “adventures” across the country as he makes his way as a displaced person – and Absentia is the album’s first track. Click below to listen to Absentia:

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And click the following link to download the track for FREE: Download

This is a new video from The Presence, members of NYC hip-hop crew Uncommon Records. Hermit Kingdom is based on current events in North Korea.

Super Chron Flight Brothers “Emergency Rations: The World Tour” Album Review
If creativity was a drug, I’d be higher than a motherfucker right now homie, probably stretched out on my couch, zoning out at the TV with one of those inch-long un-ashed Newports in between my fingers. If creativity was a drug, I wouldn’t be able to get on a plane carrying a copy of the “Emergency Powers: The World Tour” CD without being run up on by drug sniffing dogs and TSA agents. And if creativity was a drug, Priviledge and Billy Woods of The Super Chron Flight Brothers would be looking at around eight to fifteen, for possession with intent to distribute.

Let’s face it … despite what you hear on the radio or see on the television, the majority of hip-hop, especially that out of the underground, is socially and politically conscious. So there’s nothing new about The Super Chron Flight Brothers talking about real shit. However, what is unique and different about this duo of talented emcees is their ability to talk about real shit in a creatively pragmatic way, as if they just got done puffing some of that “super chron” and took on each topic with a marijuana-induced open-mindedness. They achieve this effect by utilizing different sets of perceptions, delving into a wide array of individual psyches, and using keen senses of wit coupled with satirically comical observations to critique the events and situations that surround them.

Live From …
For example, half of the tracks on “Emergency Powers: The World Tour” are co-titled “Live From Somewhere,” and give Priviledge and Billy Woods the opportunity to rhyme about any given situation as if they were actually in attendance. European Safari, co-titled Live From The Caucasus Mountains, places Super Chron in the mountainous region that vaguely separates Europe and Asia following a European rampage that ended with “Vladimir Putin in the trunk.” To Catch A Thief, co-titled Live From Wall Street, NYC, places Super Chron in the financial capital of the world to contemplate economic gaps, criminal activity and white-collar crime. Guy Fawkes, co-titled Live From Baidoa, Somalia, places Super Chron in the capital of Somalia’s clan-controlled administrative district to track how invisible outside investors historically feed off of, and often help sustain, war torn areas in selfish quests to profit from death.

Dirtweed, co-titled Live From The 4th Circuit, Court Of Appeals, Richmond VA, places Super Chron in the midst of a high-level federal judiciary hearing to plead the absurdity of the drug war and substance-related violations of the law. A Million Little Pieces, co-titled Live From the Oprah Show, places Super Chron on primetime television to give an animated depiction of the ever-evolving characteristics of stories and first-hand accounts of events. Soweto Nightclub, co-titled Live From Brixton, United Kingdom, places Super Chron in London’s unofficial capital of Jamaican, African and Caribbean communities to discuss globalization and gentrification. And Adamantium, co-titled, Live From The Cannabis Cup, Amsterdam, places Super Chron in the middle of the world’s biggest marijuana festival to proclaim the concept of indestructibility in relation to evolution, progression and law-related loopholes.

The tracks that are not meant for specific locations are no less impressive. Drought gives the listener a modern-day introspective drug dealer narrative story. Slaughterhouse is a candid observation and questioning of several realities of current events significance, which provides criticism of warmongers, asking “if his intention’s not to fight, then why did he bring a rifle?” and thuggish gangsterism, claiming that “when he says he never loves a bitch/ I see a little boy ashamed his mom’s on that shit.”

Rent Control takes a storytelling approach to explain the downfalls and shameful actions often taken to create gentrification. First Blood gives the perspectives of a Palestinian living in an occupied territory and an Al-Qaedan jihadist, and the stories of their personal evolutions toward extremist behavior, while Bob Hope gives the perspectives of soldiers loyal to the United States military and executive branch. Public Defenders allows a handful of emcees to provide their own defensive statements in a musical court-of-law dialogue. And Love & War in October verbally questions the belief that “all is fair in love and war” by telling tragic stories of both.

Emergency Powers
The production on this album is simultaneously progressive and introspective, and features notable tracks from Bond of the Backwoodz Studioz crew, Nasa of Uncommon Records, and even a gem by MF DOOM. The songs range from angry to comical, from socially significant to politically critical, and include guest appearances from heavyweights Trife Da God and Cannibal Ox. And above all, the album is among the most intellectual and satirical of the year, often leaving the listener uncertain and confused as it jumps back and forth between anticipated genius and perceived insanity.

Due to overwhelming experimentation, intellectualism and individuality, The Super Chron Brothers’ “Emergency Powers: The World Tour” is easily one of the biggest standout hip-hop albums of the year. If you like creativity blended with conscious thought and current events evaluations, it is a must have. I highly recommend picking up a copy. Peace.

Album Track Listing:

1. Drought
2. European Safari
3. To Catch a Thief
4. Slaughterhouse
5. Rent Control
6. Panama Red
7. Guy Fawkes feat. Trife Da God
8. First Blood
9. Bob Hope
10. Public Defenders feat Hi-Coup & Hasan Salaam
11. Dirtweed
12. A Million Little Pieces feat Keith Masters
13. Love & War in October feat Whizla
14. Frontier Province feat Marq Spekt
15. High Grade
16. Soweto Nightclub
17. Adamanitum feat Cannibal Ox
18. Low Tide

Masai Bey “The Panacea Goldmind” Album Review
Man, I hate being behind on shit. I try to stay up on all the new hip-hop, and normally refuse to listen to anything not recently released. Therefore, I was a little upset when I received Masai Bey’s “The Panacea Goldmind” in the mail. First, the album dropped back in October, which means it was quite a bit older than the other stacks of CDs we are trying to get around to. Second, it is apparently a remastered release of old Masai Bey material dating as far back as 2002.

In normal circumstances, this CD would have quickly been thrown into our “non-reviewable” stack. However, due to the high quality of the last Uncommon Records release, “We Are Vol. 1,” as well as my recollection of being impressed with Masai Bey’s performance on it, I decided to throw the album in and give it a try. After just one listen, I was even more annoyed … because as much as I hate being behind on shit, I REALLY hate being behind on HOT shit!

Although a little reminiscent of KRS-One in vocal sound and intonation, Masai Bey has a ridiculously unique flow, combining hard-hitting lyrics with and alternative rhyme patterns, often jumping all over the track and still managing to drop perfectly when the beat hits. I can’t tell you how many times I rewound the CD just to hear one or two lines at a time, almost in disbelief that someone could go so alternative yet remain so on point at the same time. And like all other Uncommon Records releases I’ve heard, the album rests on production that is refreshingly experimental and bumping, yet simultaneously serves the purpose of accentuating the lyricist’s voice, words and skill on the mic.

Regardless of the album’s age, it was worth the listen, and has been hard to take out of my CD player ever since. Definitely a permanent fixture on my iPod. Based on the promise of this album, I think we can expect a lot from Masai Bey’s upcoming release, “C87,” as well as the steadily growing Uncommon Records crew. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get my hands on a copy sometime relatively soon after it drops. Hint, Hint.

Album Track Listing:

1. Goldmind
2. Bey’s Theme
3. M73
4. Thugs Becuz
5. Quiet Riot
6. Old War Chant
7. Poorrichman
8. Reference Text
9. Mattafack
10. Missile Defense
11. Scarlut
12. Slave New World