MURPHY LEE "LADIES EDITION" (download it for free at MURPHYLEEUCME.com) "Ladies Edition" leads off with "Hey Lil Moma" featuring my STL family Mo'Tre and is loaded with dope records that are good for Valentine's Day and beyond. "Ghetto Love" is a fly flip of the classic Tony! Toni! Tone! "Lay Your Head on my Pillow". "Bounce Like That" (featuring Ebony Eyes and Shorty da Prince) is dope and definitely a record I'll be spinning well beyond Valentine's Day. "Problem" (featuring Future Mic) is another one I'll be flexing into my mixes. For the Crate Digga's, is that a Ray Charles sample? Regardless, Murphy Lee delivered for Valentine's Day with "Ladies Edition" AND it's free.
RAHEEM DEVAUGHN "DESTINATION LOVELAND" (download it for free at DatPiff)
I may be the only one that found it comical that Snoop Dogg is hosting this, but I dig it. "Dooms Day" featuring James Blake is dope and at the very least I will be chopping the beginning bars into my mixes. "Be The One" featuring Snoop Dogg is probably my top pick from the album. The production is fly as hell and Raheem blazed it with absolute classic Radio Raheem flavor. "All Ready" is another record that provides some dope loops to chop out, but aside of how I can use it as a DJ - this record is flat out dope and really could have been 20 minutes longer. Raheem really went in with the vocals on "All Ready". My favorite is easily "Radio Raheem". As a DJ - this is some shit I can use forever with all the DJ and radio references. Oh, and yes it is a sexy record...forgot I was providing Valentine's Day material for a minute. As a fan of Anita Baker I was immediately pulled in by Raheem's "All My Heart" too. If you are a DJ looking for dope records that fit our craft, get "Destination LoveLand". If you are anyone just looking for some Valentine's Day music to put to good use tonight, get "Destination LoveLand". AND it's free.
NATUREBOY ROWE "ROWELATIONSHIP (SOUNDTRACK)" (download it for free at natureboyrowe.com)
I got the sneak preview of this one a few days ago and been itchin' to let it go so FINALLY I can speak on it. Natureboy Rowe delivers an actual soundtrack for the day (and night) with an album that plays out like a movie following the course of a relationship from beginning to end. "Cut 4 U (Chop It Up)" kicks it off with a dope mellow groove (complete with an instrumental interlude just begging for every other rapper in the world to jump on). The hook on "House Fulla Love" is timeless and can fit in so many situations. Got me walkin' around singing 'what's all this talk about love, love, love'. Now, I may be bias with this, but hands down my favorite record is "Fantasy" with Natureboy Rowe and Teleoso. If you get to know Teleoso (@TELEOSO on twitter) make sure you speak on this record to her (I think she's a little shy about exposing this side of herself hahahaha). "Fantasy" is just raw fuckin' sexy! TX Loc blazed the hell out of the jumpoff of "Morning After" to lead Natureboy Rowe right into another highlight from the album. The "Scene 2" skit is flat out dope on some 70's killer pimp type shit. "Do You Love Me" keeps it going with TX Loc and is easily another highlight, scratch that - one of the top picks from the album. The "Scene 3" skit takes the journey of a relationship to that next stage and leads into "Love Don't Last" which is WIDE OPEN DOPE AS A MU'FUCKA! Natureboy Rowe's selection of samples and production is bananas (for the DJs and Crate Digga's you're going to love the fact that Rowe includes a folder of sample sources with the free download). The "Scene 4" skit is some real life bet-you've-been-here-too type shit that takes the relationship to the final stage of "man, fuck that bitch". Natureboy Rowe wraps it up with yet another top pick with the song "Limits" which truly takes the relationship off the cliff and brings the soundtrack full circle. Rowe seriously put it down with his soundtrack, delivering the most creative Valentine's Day project to roll out this year. AND it's free!!!
