Pic By Kyla

Right now, LC is somewhere way far away from her lovely computer screen. Otherwise, she would be in the comments, letting go sideways, riding for Shoes. Shoes Houses 20/21 with with House Shoes, Samiyam and Andres from Classic Drug References on Soundwaves KPFK. Tracklistings & links after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

By now you should be familiar with that chain-smoking titan from Detroit that calls himself DJ House Shoes. If you’re not, this would be a perfect time to get familiar with the man.

It’s very easy to sleep on this record, although it’s really not advisable. Especially if you’re a Dilla fan. 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 »

“Baby, I’m releasing an album on Christmas day,” House Shoes laughed and gently rubbed his fiancee’s pregnant belly. “No stores are open on Christmas, baby. How genius is that?”

This will be the first Christmas Shoes celebrates with his new family. A certain tranquility has set in on Detroit’s favorite DJ since the day he heard he’d be a father. His son will be named James DeShaun when he arrives in March — James, as in James “J Dilla” Yancey, and DeShaun, as in DeShaun “Proof” Holton. There was never a name seriously considered were Shoes to have a girl other than to take from his fiancee’s name (Leo) or, perhaps, just Buttercup… because “why not,” he joked. Buttercup Buchanan.

Shoes’ downy calm when around his fiancee or when discussing his son is most feverishly juxtaposed with the Newport-smoking, hail-storm-cussing, grizzly exterior of a man brow-beaten by time and circumstance. Once inside Shoes’ ring of trust he’s a gentle giant, but it takes years of loyalty to be viewed in his eyes as a genuine article worth a damn. Before you enter that circle, it’s in his music — not the music he spins, but rather the music he creates — you can hear House Shoes for who he really is. Sometimes thoughtful, sometimes cold and calloused, always with a profound understanding for the pull of humor and struggle on life.

Here are a few choice picks from House Shoes — a man who can spend endless hours digging for the records that move him in the dance between joy and pain.

Kaos and Mystro — Outcast Vol. 1

“Some Detroit shit — like ’89, ’90 — that was the first Detroit shit I heard that was on something serious. I was a freshman [in high school,] and I remember we had gym first hour and we would go in the locker room at like 7:30, and I’d have my radio. I’d have my radio on the bus — I got kicked off the bus in sixth grade for playing 2 Live Crew Read the rest of this entry »

The hardest working man in Atlanta is back. As previously promised, his mixtape is here.

The Kaos Effect x Frolab x Dj Mars Present:

“Swagger Is Nothing, Talent Is Everything” MIXTAPE

Mixed By Dj Grandman | Hosted By Dj Mars (World Famous Superfriends)

This is project was made to keep fans and the general public aware of what I’ve been up too for the past couple years. 90% of the material on here is exclusive and has never been released or heard before.

Hit the jump for tracklisting and link. Read the rest of this entry »

Shawn Jackson on the mic. House Shoes on the beat. Freshness respected. 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 »

I was going to write a longer post but figured what I sent LC via email would do just enough…and the vid would do the rest. Read the rest of this entry »

This part one of two of a “Docu-Music-Video,” where Invincible & Finale chronicle the gentrification of the D. This will be filed under “edutainment” and it’s worth a watch because I’ll bet you 10 to 1 that something similar is going on in each of our America city’s urban district. Read the rest of this entry »