I’m sure we all haven’t forgotten about what happened in Haiti in January. With the “Notes For Haiti” compilation album, Detroit and L.A. join unite and come together on one album to show love and support. Most songs you might already know, but still well worth the support! Check the official press release…

Moved by the catastrophic earthquake and aftershocks that ravaged the island nation of Haiti, a group of artists is asking the public to remember the difference each of us can make. The project, “Notes for Haiti”, is a way for the collective to thank the public for their support of the island nation to date – and hopefully inspire folks to give more of the help that’s that still needed.
Estimates are that beyond the more than 230,000 Haitians who lost their lives as a result of the earthquakes, another 300,000 were injured and over one million were left homeless.
The album is available digitally in a “pay-what-you-want” format as of Tuesday, June 1, 2010 through the website notesforhaiti.bandcamp.com. All proceeds from album sales and donations are funneled directly to Oxfam America’s ongoing Haiti relief efforts.
The compilation features exclusive content and album material from Karriem Riggins, eLZhi (Slum Village), Blu, Fashawn, Exile, Aloe Blacc, Crown Royale (Buff 1 and DJ Rhettmatic), Invincible, Now On (Mayer Hawthorne, IX Lives, Jackson Perry), 14KT, Houseshoes, Co$$, Sene, AB, Marv Won, Jordan Rockswell, and SlopFunkDust.
The concept behind the “pay-what-you-want” format (used previously by bands such as Radiohead) is that the user can dictate the price paid for the album as a whole, or for each song purchased individually (for as little as $1). The donations are processed directly to Oxfam America through the secure BandCamp-PayPal portal, removing unnecessary overhead or infrastructure costs at the point of sale.
Oxfam is working in multiple locations to provide clean water, sanitation, shelter, seeds and running cash for work programs. Though their public appeal to Haiti has closed (for the time), this project will continue to affect their ongoing efforts on the island.
Detroit natives Niles Heron (Los Angeles) and Sarah Lockridge-Steckel (Boston) executive produced the album with gracious contributions from artists, promoters, managers, and good people nationwide.

Please visit the Notes For Haiti Bandcamp page and give generously! I just donated $5 and I truly hope that you, you and yes you have a heart as well and dig deep into your pockets. We’re only streaming these two bangers at a low bitrate, cuz for only $1 you can BUY the entire album.

Now On (DJ Haircut, Jackson Perry, IX Lives) – Doo It

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Co$$ & Sene – Let’s Begin

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written by nilez \\ tags: 14kt, album, aloe blacc, bancamp, bandcamp, blu, buff 1, buff1, charity, co$$, compilation, crown royale, detroit, dj haircut, dj rhettmatic, earthquake haiti, elzhi, exile, fashawn, house shoes, houseshoes, invincible, ix lives, jackson perry, jordan rockswell, karriem riggins, los angeles, marv won, mayer hawthorne, niles heron, notes for haiti, now on, oxfam, pay-what-you-want, paypal, radiohead, sarah lockridgde-steckel, sene, slum village

What began as a simple afternoon get together, bringing friends together to play good records, has grown into one of the most notorious good times in LA – The Do Over. Even though we never been at The Do Over this podcast gives us a taste of what’s in store for us this summer. Thanks to Jamie Strong, Aloe Blacc, Haycock and the HVW8 fam.

Indigo Jam Unit – Be
Moodymann – Rectify
Aloe Blacc – If I
Theo Parrish – Secondary Darkness
Floating Points – Peoples Potential
Great Weekend – Lets Do It Again (Do Over)
Theo Parrish – Ugly Edit 10
Aloe Blacc vs Frou Frou
Joy Orbison – Hyph Mngo
Steve Spacek vs Hudson Mohawke
Dam-Funk – Killdat
Starblazers – Dangerzone

DOWNLOAD HVW8 International – The Do Over Podcast Vol.17

written by Nevill \\ tags: aloe blacc, dam funk, floating points, hvw8, indigo jam unit, joy orbison, los angeles, moodymann, steve spacek, the do over, theo parrish

The Do-Over is a summertime party in L.A. founded by Aloe Blacc, Stones Throw behind-the-scenes architect Jamie Strong & Chris Haycock featuring a who’s who of mystery guests. The renown party now comes to life in the form of a Limited 10-inch record series featuring exclusive tracks from guests of the party. Each volume is limited to 1,000 copies, featuring deluxe artwork/packaging by a different graphic designer.

Volume 1 offers up two neck snapping bangers courtesy of Flying Lotus (Warp/Brainfeeder) & House Shoes (debut release) in this LA vs Detroit beatdown, artwork/packaging by Steven Harrington. Now go and buy this right now in the Stonesthrow Store…

Flying Lotus – Sangria Spin Cycles

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House Shoes – The Makings

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written by Nevill \\ tags: aloe blacc, do over, flying lotus, houseshoes, los angeles, sangria spin cycles, steven harrington, stones throw, vol 1

It’s almost time! So many have been waiting for Fashawn’s debut album “Boy Meets World”. In case you’ve been living under a rock or just tuned in to this talented MC from Cali…wake the f*ck up! This right here is the new crack to listening to. The whole album has a feel to it..hard to explain, but it makes me feel like I just went back in time to when Hip Hop wasn’t a gimmick or media thing. Pure nineties Hip Hop music for your enjoyment. You’ll see what I’m talking about as soon as you listen to the goosebump evoking “Lupita” with some slick ass guitar play.

Is it just me or does this feel like listening to cats like Pharcyde? Imma just say it man. Hip Hop is back…yeah I said it! Fashawn and Exile (who tears up the mic on “Bo Jackson”) hit the nail on the head with this one. Artists like Aloe Blacc, Evidence, Blu, Co$$ and Planet Asia bless this album with a cameo…BUY THIS ALBUM WHEN IT DROPS!!

Fashawn – Lupita

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written by nilez \\ tags: aloe blacc, blu, boy meets world, california, evidence, exile, fashawn, planet asia

Aloe Blacc from killer Cali hasn’t dropped anything for a minute. He’s putting out a new project (fully produced by Exile) so if you don’t know, you’d better recognize! This musical Jack-of-all-trades recently dropped this song called “Houston”…enjoy. Gotta give it up for OnSmash for this one.

Aloe Blacc – Houston

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written by nilez \\ tags: aloe blacc, california, exile, houston, los angeles, nathaniel, stonesthrow

A while back Trees For Breakfast put me on these early Aloe Blacc tracks..

“Before Aloe Blacc hopped on the Stones Throw roster,  he went simply by his given name Nathaniel and dropped this 12″.  It was around the time that the word “neo soul” was being thrown around like a dirty dish towel so it probably fell into that ill-fated category.  Doesn’t matter though because they are both cool joints. Somethin’ to kick back and relax to.” Both tracks produced by Ta’Raach.

Nathaniel – La La La

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Nathaniel – Ooh Wahh

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written by moovmnt \\ tags: aloe blacc, nathaniel, stonesthrow, ta'raach

One third of the influential LA hip-hop group Dilated Peoples, Evidence masterfully launched his solo career last year with his debut solo album “The Weatherman”. An accomplished rapper and producer, his long standing video partnership with Decon director Jason Goldwatch makes him a perfect fit for a new installment of Decon’s multi-media series of releases, which combines audio and video content from the hottest hip-hop artists.

The Layover features 6 all new tracks from Evidence, as well a DVD featuring the first full video collaboration between Jason Goldwatch and Evidence focusing on the theme of The Layover. The long-standing relationship between the two have created some of hiphop’s most classic videos, including videos for Evidence’s “Mr. Slow Flow”, and for Dilated Peoples’ “Back Again”, “Worst Come To Worst” and “Work The Angles”. This new take on the video collaboration between two artists will result in a release peppered with the artistic, guerilla approach that the two share.

Evidence – To Be Determined Feat Elzhi & Aloe Blacc

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Evidence – So Fresh

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written by moovmnt \\ tags: aloe blacc, decon, dilated peoples, dvd, elzhi, evidence, layover ep, the layover

Hip-Hop group Now On which consists of Jackson Perry, IX Lives and Haircut just released their first album “Tomorrow Already”. The album contains productions from the Lab Techs, Jake One and Astronote, with appearances by Buff1 and Aloe Blacc. Buy the album here.

By the way Mayer Hawthorne is taking over. Otherwise knows as Haircut from Now On and the Athletic Mic League, catch this Stones Throw new artist maneuver the freshest blend of soul and doo-wop in the game right now. Check out Asideworldwide for al your Now On, Buff1, 14KT news.

Now On – The Answer Prod. 14KT

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Mayer Hawthorne – It Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out (snippet)

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written by moovmnt \\ tags: 14 kt, 14kt, aloe blacc, asideworldwide, astronote, buff1, haircut, jake one, labtechs, mayer hawthorne, now on, tomorrow already, when i said goodbye

September 13th Now On will release their highly anticipated sophomore full-length tentatively titled “Tomorrow Already”. With the Lab Technicians production team at the helm, Now On has pulled themselves up by their lyrical moon-bootstraps to pump out the innovative, post-futuristic soul that has entertainment industry skeptics throwing their hands in the air, screaming “Live for the Now, On to the Future! Check out the first of four music videos.

Now On – The Willows

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Now On – I’m Sayin (Remix) Feat Aloe Blacc

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written by moovmnt \\ tags: 14kt, aloe blacc, asideworldwide, labtechs, los angeles, now on, tomorrow already

Samon Kawamura has finished his work on Unfold, his second soloalbum, within a short year Unfold, the successor of Translations (Samon ´s debut-album released on Nesola in the middle of 2007), came into existence. The most obvious difference in comparison with its predecessor is the participation of vocalists/rappers, whose selection nearly seems to follow a concept.
With Madlib´ s brother OH NO and Aloe Blacc two Stonesthrow-artists stood in front of the mic. The contributions of Om’Mas Keith (SA-RA Creative Partners) and the producing MC Ta’Raach fit in the picture as well with regard to the creative backgrounds and interests, the whole thing being rounded out by Kev Brown from the Jazzy Jeff-camp and Laura López Castro.

With Unfold there nearly is a balance between songs with and without vocals. The message being articulated by the lyrical contributions to the songs is basically characterized by passion for the art form and some kind of authentic and serious contemplation on the subject matter.

Samon Kawamura – Lovelude Feat Ta’Raach

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Samon Kawamura – Still Significant Feat Kev Brown

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written by moovmnt \\ tags: aloe blacc, japan, kev brown, oh no, om'mas keith, sa-ra, samon kawamura, ta'raach, translations, unfold