Notherground Makes Honor Roll (UPDATE)

As the final hours of '09 tick away, it's nice to know that Notherground's hard work hasn't gone unnoticed. Yesterday, we announced that Outasight and The Kid Daytona had made the Top 10 Most Underrated list for the year, today, the love keeps spreading.

UPDATE: 6th Sense and Outasight are 2 Dope Boyz
You might've heard of a little site run by these dudes Shake and Meka, it's pretty ill, it's called 2DopeBoyz. You should check it out. If you do, you might see that BOTH of Outasight's mixtapes from '09 made the Top Mixtapes lists,  the Outasight & D/Will collaboration The OutaWill Sessions got an honorable mention for Top EP of the year, and a handful of his tracks were chosen for the Top Songs category.  6th Sense gets nods for Emilio Rojas's tape and The New Classics among others. Get the full list here.

6th is 9th:
Pure Hip-Hop took a comprehensive look back at the year that was and picked out their top albums, mixtapes, artists, producers, and newcomers. They also put together a list of the top Ten Producers to Watch in 2010... Coming in at #9, none other than Notherground CEO 6th Sense (our homie Apple Juice Kid slipped in at the 10 spot, too). Read the full article here. 

Outasight, Not Out of Mind
One of the most prolific bloggers around and a man I have a lot of respect for, Dart Adams (of Poisonous Paragraphs and Bloggerhouse) finalized his list of the Top 50 Hip-Hop Albums, EP's & Mixtapes of 2009. Alongside projects by Cunninlynguists, KRS-One, Blue Scholars, Meth & Red, and People Under the Stairs, you can find Outasight's Further in the "Next 150" section.  See the full list here.

Daytona, 6th Sense Make Top 10 Free Album Lists
Kevin Nottingham has put up a handful to "Top Lists" today, and among them, the Top 10 Free Albums of 2009.  The Kid Daytona got an honorable mention for Come Fly with Me, and 6th Sense gets credit for his work on Mag's album and Donny Goines's The Breakfast Club. Read it here. 
 

6th Sense: Mixtape Don? 
According to another KN list, 6th Sense has done production for some of the best mixtape projects of the year. Check out their "Top 10 Mixtapes: 2009" list: Emilio Rojas's The Natural goes home with the #1, and the Peter, Bjorn & John remix project Re-Living Thing, the De La Soul tribute Le Da Soul, and Buff1's It's a 1derful Life all earned Top 10 spots or honorable mention. Check the full article here. 


Thank you to all of the bloggers, artists, dj's and, most of all, fans that have shown us so much support this year. We promise we'll keep working just as hard in 2010.

One Love,

Mike Rosen

Everything All The Time Reviews Viva La Hova

Some VERY positive words for 6th.

CLICK HERE TO READ REVIEW

Viva La Hova's done more than 50,000 downloads! PROPS to Mick & Terry and everyone involved with the project.

6th Sense & Wildabeast are... Both Nice (ALBUM REVIEW)

Yes, some important writers got to hear an advance of the album. Here's a review.

By David Medina – Medina Ink

I step into my listening booth, settle into my chair, press play on the new collaborative album from 6th Sense and Wildabeast, entitled Both Nice, and I expect good music. What I experienced, however, was something greater, something that took me on a journey I didn’t know I wanted to go on. Reppin’ the Notherground Music camp, these two gentlemen bring their souls to the table for all to witness. With numerous albums and mix tapes under their belt, 6th and Wil came together to show and prove they are here to stay and contribute quality art to the musical landscape.

On the opening self-titled track, a cinematic voice begins to introduce legendary duos in Hip Hop, releasing the fondest memories of some of the greatest to do it. The ease from which 6th and Wildabeast flow on the track proves the album title. It’s a great introduction to a duo that puts their stock in the music they create. It’s simply a taste for what’s to come.

As the record spins through the boom-bap of “Aite Bet”, the melodic “AM Set” and the electro “Arcade Fly”, you begin to get the sense that this is no ordinary album. The sonic backdrops created by 6th Sense bring you to new heights and moods. His palette offers a broad range without sounding like affected experimentation but rather organic treats for your ears. The musicality of this album is well rounded in its influence, which works because there’s nothing 6th and Wil aren’t willing to rock on.

The lyrics are ferocious and succinct, running the gamut from personal thoughts and struggles to kick you in the face freestyling and wordplay. On the speedy, junglistic “Live It Down”, 6th kicks – “tell you what it iiiis/like four I’s and one S/one heart from one chest/it all starts from one breath/cuz one’s art is one’s flesh”. That’s the truth as this duo creates what comes from the soul with no apologies for who they are. Wildabeast has a unique flow measured by his ability to simply have a conversation with the listener as he spits on “What Kinda” – “this is a deep confession/I’m here to teach a lesson/I’m feeling deep depression/I know I need a blessing/I need to find the answer but I repeat the question”. It is these moments on the album that connect to the spirit artistically and emotionally, leaving everything on the track.

This record pushes forward, bringing out a powerful awareness to limitless creativity. 6th Sense and Wildabeast have this ability to let the art form breathe by expanding and challenging themselves thus challenging the listeners. Hitting every point on the map, Both Nice is truly a piece of music that maintains its integrity and energy. Plus, it has oodles and oodles of styles you can’t miss.

The music of 6th Sense and Wildabeast penetrates your life with a subtleness that can only be created by a synergy. The kind you feel when you’re on your way to see the family you love or when you’re chilling with your homies in the living room, laughter filling the air. It crosses all barriers, a three-dimensional picture that shows the range of a human being. When I feel I can kick it with the artist I’m listening to, they are touching on something that speaks above the music: the heart. This is why in my book, 6th Sense and Wildabeast are…

Rhymehouse Review "Wait, You Can Rap?!?!"

LINK

By: R.M. London

Coming off their huge 2007 stampede full of Rawkus 50 digi-drops, a Mick Boogie Mixtape and quirky electro looped buzz blog blockbusters, the Notherground imprint continues their march toward fame by introducing their collective’s secret weapon– Jelani. Via a free zip download, the Harlem harbinger of hip hop’s third renaissance demands his presence be felt with 12-tracks full of beastly multies, punchlines, daydream diatribes and playful braggadocio over booming beats. As the promotional blog craze continues its popularity, more and more artists are offering free songs, mixtapes and albums in hopes to gather new hungry hip hop fans to feast on their creations. Til’ this day, avid fans continue their downloading binges, and as one of them, I begin to download the debut of yet another New York MC and thought to myself one thing– So, you think you can rap?!?!

With help from Notherground mates 6th Sense, Wildabeast and Mike Maven on vocals, and a fresh lineup of today’s must hear producers in 6th Sense, Frequency and Ryan Durkin, Jelani surrounds himself with unadulterated talent that catapults his smooth flow into another realm of sonic sultriness. Starting off the record with his “Wait, You Can Rap?!?! (Intro),” Jelani slams his fist down into your headphones and demands your ear with a head nodding unveiling of his swagger-spit delivery and commanding voice. Off to a good start, Jelani then launches the record with a 2008 song of the year nominee in the 6th Sense designed, electro-beefed banger, “Spotlight,” which Jelani crushes and weaves through with needle tongue precision. The show then switches styles by sliding into a smoother sonic foundation with the spacey “Proposal,” that glides into the funk-plucked positive vibes of “Do What You Love,” where it’s obvious that Jelani practices what he preaches.

Just when the swank, sharp and dapper-like-Dan stylings of Jelani was just beginning to impress me, the album veered off course a bit with two tracks (“Supernova” and “Let’s Dance”) that were obviously created for a fun, party-like atmosphere and does the job, but failed to show Jelani’s true bread and butter talents like the rest of the record. Luckily, Jelani quickly came back on course with the bouncy beated “Jelani the MC” and continued what he started in the first four tracks, and never stopped.

6th Sense and Jelani continued their collaborative assault with “Movers & Shakers,” an organ smeared saliva stomp that spotlighted two of hip hop’s rising stars in their respective zones, then moved to the laid back “U4Got4u,” where Jelani shows his versatility and knack for rhymes that trickle into one another like Jacob’s ladder pieces. The album then catches a second wind with the drizzling piano-laced, choral accompanied banger baked by the hands of Ryan Durkin entitled “Pain,” which ignited a new sound into the already power packed baritone barrage Jelani fires off. Anchoring almost a flawless debut, Jelani drops a feel good tribute to his favorite art with “The Feeling,” and then closes his introduction to the world with the inspirational “Living My Dream,” a jogging drum filled opus that left me nodding my head with a fist held high, clutching my hopes and dreams not yet fulfilled–the perfect ending to the very beginning.

Continuing the consistent tradition that the Notherground movement has already provided, Jelani unveils himself to your stereo speakers and dishes out alley-oops full of hard hitting lyricism, confident coos, motivational speeches and dream devouring drops to slam dunk in your ipod for days. Despite the minor swerve early on in the album to cater to the clubs and dancing hearts of the big apple dames, Jelani arrives into the crowded hip hop scene and leaves a lasting impression that will leave you wanting more.

As the final keyboard sweeps seeped through to end the hidden track and mark the album’s finish, I only had one thing left to say to Jelani– Wait…you CAN rap.

Rhymehouse Rating:
7.5 Records // 10

IGN.com give "Wait, You Can Rap?!?!" an 8.5

Jelani The MC – Wait, You Can Rap?!?! Review
NYC rapper leaves no questions unanswered on debut LP.
by Alfred Leonard

July 30, 2008 - They say the best things in life are free. That statement couldn't be more true after the complimentary release of Jelani The MC's Wait, You Can Rap?!?!. For the unaware, Jelani is NYC born and bred and the offspring of the legendary hip-hop haberdasher, Dapper Dan. After listening to his debut album it becomes apparent that Jelani has had hip-hop running through is veins from the jump.

The album opens up with a fierce organ and hi hat-backed intro in which Jelani immediately answers the question posed in his album title. Smiles are brought to the faces of fans of The Wire as the infamous "40 degree day" quote serves as an intermission between two rapid-fire verses. Lyricism is pretty much the theme of the first third of the album as Jelani showcases his rhyme schemes and clever wordplay. And even when he does hone in on a particular subject he still excels. Case and point: the inspirational "Do What You Like", where Jelani encourages the pursuit of dreams while opening up to share a few of his own personal tales.

Nobody is perfect however, and Jelani proves it with two slightly underwhelming tracks in the middle of the disc. The uptempo numbers "Supernova" and "Let's Dance" put the rapper out of his comfort zone and the lyrics briefly suffer ("you're fly like an eagle"). These are only minor setbacks however as Jelani quickly gets back on track with the assistance of rapper/producer 6th Sense on "Movers & Shakers".

While the superb lyrical displays are entertaining to say the very least, it is when Jelani mellows out and gets more introspective that he truly hits his stride musically. The album closes out exceptionally strong with a stellar trio of tracks, highlighted by the triumphant "Living My Dream". Arguably the best song on the 12-track set, Jelani narrates his hopeful ascension into the ranks of hip-hop immortality. The horns and upbeat bass drum compliment the song perfectly as Jelani puts on a performance that can't be done justice by simply quoting individual lines.

There is no question that Jelani can rap so one has to wonder, who exactly was it that thought any differently? With an apparent appetite for success and limitless talent, Jelani is one to be on the lookout for in the very near future. His only major mistake was giving this album away as it is well worth a retail purchase.
Click here to check review and leave comment.

illRoots gives "It's Coming Soon" 4.5/5

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REVIEW