ipso facto

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Tue Apr 7

FREE MIX TUESDAY! Live mix by BK-One!

Photo credit: Steve McPherson

Fresh live mix from Brother Ali’s tour dj & party rocker BK-One! This mix was recorded live at the 2009 SXSW music conference to wrap up the Rhymesayers Label Showcase. It’s over 20 minutes of blended hip hop!

Download: LIVE SXSW MIX! (right click to download…)

Rhymesayers | RSE on Twitter

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Thu Apr 2

Hipsters.

I don’t care about hipsters. Not like “I don’t like them or they piss me off” but in the I just really don’t care about them way. There’s this weird phenom where it’s cool to talk shit about them which I don’t understand. I think that the people who talk the most shit about them are total asses and are “worse” than the hipsters they talk shit about. I’ve been called a hipster from time to time for reasons unknown. Maybe I am. I guess I’ve never really identified with the “culture” of hipsterdom but who knows. But like I said. I don’t really care. This video about “hipsters” is amazing and makes me laugh pretty hard. So please enjoy!

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FranzDiego drops new track off upcoming release ".Com"

FranzDiego of South Minneapolis rap group Illuminous 3, dropped a new single off of his debut LP release entitled “.Com.” The track is called “Sunrise” and features production from Radio K’s own hip hop DJ Noam the Drummer. FranzDiego’s album is expected to drop soon but wanted you to get a taste right now. You can also download his free EP at www.franzdiego.com. Which I actually posted up a few months ago… here.

FranzDiego is a highly active member in the Minneapolis hip hop scene. You can find him hosting at his podcast www.listentompls.com, hosting at Radio K’s the Beat Box on 104.5 fm, rapping with his highly respected group Illuminous 3 www.illuminous3.mn, and blogging over at www.copscantdants.com

Download “Sunrise” here: http://drop.io/franzdiegosunrisesong

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Wed Apr 1

New Atmosphere video "Your Glasshouse"

Some words from Slug of Atmosphere on their new video for “Your Glasshouse”. Enjoy!

hey people’s. here’s another atmosphere video. this one is called “your glasshouse.”
thanks for peeping it. i love you.

s

p.s. in case you missed it when it leaked, here’s an alternate video for “you” as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRbx5pTGVik

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Mon Mar 23

POS covers Pearl Jam’s “Why Go”

This is pretty amazing!

P.O.S. - New Music - More Music Videos

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Mon Mar 16

First Soundset Line Up Announced, tickets on sale!

It’s official! Soundset ‘09 is here!

On Sunday, May 24, 2009, Rhymesayers Entertainment and Rose Presents brings you the second annual Soundset: the official Midwest kick-off festival of the summer with over eight hours of the best independent Hip Hop music in one day. It all goes down at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN (rain or shine). This is the first round of artists we are announcing, this IS NOT the final lineup.

What fun would it be to tell you everything right away?

Confirmed to perform on the Soundset main stage are: Atmosphere, MF Doom, Brother Ali, Sage Francis with B. Dolan, Immortal Technique, P.O.S, El P featuring Mr. Dibbs, Eyedea & Abilities, Abstract Rude and I Self Devine.

Soundset Tickets: For three days only, we are offering special fan pre-sale tickets to our supporting Rhymesayers peeps first. This special recession friendly ticket price is ONLY available from: Monday, March 16 through Wednesday, March 18 starting at 3:00PM CST at Fifth Element and www.artistarena.com ONLY.

For those of you in Minneapolis, we have limited pre-sale tickets available starting today at Fifth Element, 2411 Hennepin Ave. South in beautiful Uptown Minneapolis, MN. For the first 100 people that purchase pre-sale tickets in store, you will receive a FREE limited-edition screen print poster from Soundset 08.

For all our friends outside of the Twin Cities, please go online at: https://tixx1.artistarena.com/soundset2009/

Get your tickets now, and save that dough!

Here’s the deal (3/16 - 3/18 only!):
Special Fan Pre Sale General Admission - $25 (parking included!)
Special Soundset Festival & After Party (must be 18+) - $35 (parking included!)
VIP ticket (must be 18+)- $75 (VIP parking included!)

National Public On Sale is this Saturday, March 21, 2009 at:
General Admission- $30 (parking included!)
Special Soundset Festival & After Party (must be 18+) - $40 (parking included!)
VIP ticket (must be 18+)- $75 (VIP parking included!)

TEN other FAQ:
1. Hell yeah, there is going to be an after party. It will be on site in Canterbury this year, a hop skip and a jump from the festival grounds. You will need to be 18+ to party and 21+ to party with adult beverages. We will be announcing the who and what of this soon, but you can get these tickets now with the purchase of your Soundset ticket for a grand total of $35. There is not a separate ticket for the after party, you can only get access to this event as a combo ticket package.

2. For those people 18+, we are offering a limited VIP ticket. The VIP ticket includes the following: entrance to the festival and after party, access to a special exclusive VIP area near the main stage, meet and greets with artists, VIP parking, separate restrooms, VIP bar with adult beverages (beer and liquor) and special festival laminates. The VIP ticket is $75.

3. Of course, Soundset 09 is all ages- we are for the kids! And, for those youngsters under the age of 10 you get to experience the music for FREE, but must be accompanied by ticket paying adult. 2 kids per one adult.

4. No, this is not the final lineup for Soundset. We still have other main stage artists to announce, the entire line-up for the Fifth Element stage, the DJs for the Red Bull B-Boy tent, after party performers and DJs and much more. Stay tuned for regular announcements leading up to soundset 09!

5. When you get a ticket to Soundset, you get a parking spot. That’s right party people, no extra parking fees this year. So, get your carpool on and help save the planet!

6. Tickets are always available at Fifth Element service charge free if you pay cash. If you pay with a credit card, those tickets will have a fee of $1 per ticket tagged on to your purchase. For information on tickets available at Fifth Element, call 612-377-0044.

7. Where is Canterbury Park? Well, if your standing in front of Fifth Element in Minneapolis, it’s 23 miles and less than 30 minutes. If you want to find out from your place in the world, get your Google on here: www.canterburypark.com/Directions/tabid/179/Default.aspx

8. Can I bring my camera? Yes, “point and shoot” photo cameras are allowed, but NO VIDEO cameras and ALL professional cameras will need a photo pass.

9. My Mom, Dad or Uncle Frank will be dropping me off at Soundset is there a drop off point? Yes, there will be signs upon entering Canterbury. Your folks can even go check out the horse racing which will be going on during Soundset starting at 1:30PM on May 24, 2009.

10. If you still have a question, concern or just want to voice your opinion, please email us at: info@soundset.com.

See you in 70 days, let the countdown begin!

myspace.com/soundset | rhymesayers.com

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Sun Mar 15

Pop Music & Auto Tune & Death Cab

So auto tune has taken the recording industry by storm which directly effects you the listener. Auto tune is basically a plug in for recording software that automatically nudges a flat or sharp note into it’s proper place on the scale. Financially it makes sense because you don’t have to do as many takes and it makes everyone sound like they’re an amazing singer, what could be wrong with that? Well first of all most pop stars aren’t amazing singers. They’ve managed to squeak buy and spend enough time recording that they can make their records sound polished. What happens during their live shows you ask? Well most of your “favorite” pop stars actually lip sync. We’ve all heard rumors about certain stars not performing their own songs live rather singing over a dub track. Well that’s true in many cases. I’ve included some examples of what auto tuning sounds like below…

If you’re unfamiliar with Auto-tune, and especially if you listen to much pop and rock, you might not hear it initially. When overdone, the effect yields an unnatural yodel or warble in a singer’s voice. But the sound is so commonplace in modern mainstream music that your ears may have tuned out the auto-tune!

The songs in this clip, in order, and the phrases most affected by auto-tuning to help you spot them:

Dixie Chicks - The Long Way Around - Noticeable on “parents” and “but I.”

T-Pain - I’m Sprung - Especially obvious on “homies” and “lady.”

Avril Lavigne - Complicated - Listen to “way,” “when,” “driving,” “you’re.”

Uncle Kracker - Follow Me The whole vocal sounds strained, but especially the word “goodbye.”

Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved - Listen for “rain” and “smile.”

Natasha Bedingfield - Love Like This - “Apart” and “life.”

Sean Kingston - Beautiful girls - “OoooOver” doesn’t sound human.

JoJo - Too Little Too Late - Appropriately, “problem” stands out.

Rascal Flatts - Life is a Highway Every vocal, foreground and background, is treated, but “drive” in particular.

New Found Glory - Hit or Miss - “Thriller”, and every time Jordan sings “I.”

Long story short the reason I posted this is because I stumbled upon a pretty funny article about how Death Cab For Cutie had worn blue ribbons to the Grammy’s to raise awareness about auto-tuning and showing love for the “blue note” hence the blue ribbons. My feelings exactly. What happened to real music with an organic feeling. That anticipation of going to a live show by your favorite musician for the first time and wondering are they gonna sound like they did on the record or was it all a lie? One thing I can tell you. If you like Death Cab and have never seen them live, you won’t be disappointed. If anything true can be said in this whole mess. Ben Gibbard can sing well. Whether it be live or while they’re recording. If you’re unfamiliar with their work you might want to check them out!

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