Like a thief in the night, J. Elec always manages to slide through with a track. This time, produced by none other than the good brother 14KT. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s quite obvious that this is the LC show today as we presume the boys are off beating their collective meats in one hell of a competitive circle jerk pause. Since I have the time & space, I wanted to go back & shine light on the producers showcased in the consecutive/series of Fave Five’s we posted this week.

This isn’t in lieu of a regular The Week That Was. This is just an insightful series of pieces that needed additional light shined on them…

Shawn Jackson’s Fave Five

Read: Why Shawn cries a lot on the inside; What Hip-Hop legend used to be known as Baby John; How Yellowman usurps Redman. Read the rest of this entry »

14KT has generated the kind of word-of-mouth attention a beat maker could only dream of. A MySpace page can only do so much — beyond the parameters of the Internet the proof must be in the proverbial pudding. And it’s KT’s tapioca blend of silky smooth chunk and funk that made him the winner of Detroit’s Red Bull Big Tune beat battle, and sent him all the way to the semi-final round of the championships in New York earlier this month.

KT’s beats have always conveyed emotions to me better than any lyrics could, which is exactly the tenor of his recent instrumental release The Golden Hour soundtrack. What’s most prevalent in his sound is an obvious love and respect for all music. He’s a fan of artists and albums outside of his studio, his city and his genre. He’s a student of sound. And it’s with that understanding that I approached KT to ask him about five of his favorite albums to gain insight on the mind of a man who hears new music in the old. Who draws inspiration from the inspired.

Outkast – ATLiens

“This is my all-time favorite album. It dropped August 27, 1996. I remember riding my bike to the record store and Read the rest of this entry »

Awhile back I recalled the last time I was in The D, at a beat-maker showcase hosted by House Shoes. Now Detroit’s DJ has released the audio from the night — featuring Black Milk, 14KT, DJ Dez, Apollo Brown, Nick Speed, Danny Brown, Big Tone and, of course, Hennessey-laden color commentary from Shoes himself. Read the rest of this entry »

There has been a lot of discussion about concept albums around TSS Central Command as of late — i.e. what defines a concept album, what succeeds and what fails, who is at the helm of the greats, etc. I come to you, TSS family, to share with you my without-question favorite concept album of all. A soon to be released, multi-faceted diamond sure to set DJs, vinyl junkies and beat-fiends alike into a tailspin.

But first let me introduce the man behind the music… 14KT.

KT most recently won the Detroit faction of the Red Bull Big Tune beat battle, and will be heading to New York City this winter to represent Michigan’s legion of producers in the nationwide showdown. He’s one-forth of the LabTechs and behind beats for Guilty Simpson, Tanya Morgan, Buff1, OneBeLo, Invincible, Tiffany Paige and Aloe Blacc among many others.

And he’s an alien with a kick/snare/boom/bap/bass/ivories/keytar/sample/whathaveyou. Read the rest of this entry »

“I’m Peter Gabriel with a sledgehammer…”

Second video from Invincible’s debut album, ShapeShifters, available now. Song produced by 14KT & Haircut of the Lab Tech with cameos by Finale, Elzhi, Arab Summit & more…

Previously Posted — TSS Presents 15 Minutes With Invincible | “Looongawaited” – Review Of Invincible’s Shapeshifters