Men lie. Women lie. Numbers don’t lie. One thing they don’t always do is tell the entire story, Read the rest of this entry »

True story: the other week, I was rummaging through my limitless unread emails with Invincible’s “Deuce/Ypsi” inexplicably playing in my head. Then it occurred to me that Detroit’s very own superwoman had been inconspicuously absent for more than a little bit. I proceeded to take to her Twitter to yell for her to get back in the booth pronto, maybe even start a mini trending topic amongst her followers. Read the rest of this entry »

As legend would have it, Robin Thicke, not Glenn Lewis, recorded this as a demo for the late Michael Jackson in 2001 for his Invincible album. It is still numbing to think next month will mark an entire year since Dr. Conrad Murray attempted to “save” the King of Pop’s life. Jacko’s version would eventually be released on The Ultimate Michael Jackson Collection. Read the rest of this entry »

Yeah, we know. Nobody cares to hear females rhyme. You’d rather push mute and look at them wiggle their assets (word to Nicki Minaj.) Well you know what? It’s 2010 and #Weoffthat.

In conjuction with The Fembassy, watch above and read below as The Revival sets a new precedence in the realm of promoting noteworthy Hip-Hop. Read the rest of this entry »

You probably hadn’t heard of Finale prior to his A Pipe Dream And A Promise release. He didn’t have the blog buzz, he wasn’t throwing out music for free as fast as he could record it, and he wasn’t forcing himself onto the masses in an effort to win folks over with everything but music. Instead, he has utilizing the the Bob Wylie approach; taking it one step at a time ensuring that each move is correct and not premature. It’s a method the Detroit native has used throughout his career, which as he describes in this interview is one unique to the rest of his peers in Rap.

Finale’s patience and self-discipline laid the foundation for his debut, the bluntly titled A Pipe Dream And A Promise. Recorded over a 5 year period the album plays out like a meticulously crafted collage. Boasting a dream team of producers from Nottz, Dilla, Flying Lotus, Black Milk, Oddisee and others there is surprisingly high level of cohesion that carries throughout, which is a direct reflection of Finale’s vision. The same precision carries into his lyrics, with each word in each bar playing a specific position and covering a wide range of topics rooted in reality. All the elements of a great album are in place, and it’s just a matter of time before listeners catch on. If it happened over night it wouldn’t be right. It wouldn’t be Finale.

TSS: I gotta kick it off with the most basic question; what originally sparked your interest in Hip-Hop?

Finale: I used to write a lot. All the way through High School I was always writing, but not even rap lyrics. But uh, after I graduated High School I went to Morehouse. When I was out there I linked up with a crew called who now goes by Shaman Works. I don’t really do the whole crew thing, but that’s my family. They showed me the ropes and taught me how to write bars and structure songs. That’s when I fell in love with rhyming and that’s when I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I remember someone gave me a tape of OC’s Jewelz and I just listened to that non stop for like two semesters straight. That album really made me want to write. Read the rest of this entry »

The soundtrack to our daily grind, all in a nice & neat format. You know what it is © Cliff Harris. It’s Crew Love.

Corey Bloom

C-Rayz Walz & Swave Sev – “The Family Crest”

This has to be one of the iller tribute songs I’ve heard, done by one of favorite MC’s for one my favorite duos. C-Rayz and Swave Sev pay homage to Gangstarr with cleverly worded web of the albums, songs, productions and musical significance that built the legacy. More than anything this song has sparked my annual Daily Operation or Mass Appeal debate which has dominated my playlist…Daily Operation.

Z-Man – “Street Creed Need Me”

Z-Man spits so much relevance on this one the whole song is a quotable. Topics cover the spectrum and the wordplay is seasoned with too many flavors to favor. Off the Machete Vox sampler Sneak Preview the DNAE Beats produced banger is undisputable, plus you can’t front on the title.

S. Cadet

Pac Div – “Shut Up”

This is the song of the week already and we didn’t hit the weekend yet. I might have to sneak into the studio 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

With the spectacle that was VH1′s Miss Rap Supreme failing to be that missing link that separates the female rapper and total acceptance, it’s back to the drawing board for those women hoping to overcome those lingering stereotypes. While most rely on visual attributes, veteran rookie Invincible rather let her mic skills be her judge and jury. With a keen layer of ideology that covers her lyrics, the Michigan native is a wolverine on the microphone equipped with a slick wordplay that can twist any syllable at any speed. It’s these qualities along with an intriguing array of production that make her debut Shapeshifters an above-average event. Read the rest of this entry »

In a week where authority was questioned, we have questions for *points* you.

Why does Tuesday seem like miles away?

And I have to gloat because isn’t it kinda fresh how we can go from basketball to golf to baseball and even mix in a little wrasslin without missing a beat?
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 »

“Skill Recognize skill, with lyrics that define ill./ Keep your naked eyes peeled, and open. Get your spines chilled.”

It would be a grave injustice to weigh Invincible’s talent on a scale of gender, so set no double standards for her. She isn’t just a great female emcee… she’s a lyricist whose skill set far exceeds most everyone in the game, including some of your favorites.

Her talent garnered attention from Talib Kweli, De La Soul and Jean Grae among others, years ago when she left her Michigan home for opportunity in New York. This was while she was part of the all-female ANOMOLIES, before she cut off her braids. Before she met with major labels and turned down deal after deal. Before she left BK and dedicated her time to the betterment of Detroit. Long before she recorded her first solo project, ShapeShifters, which finally hit shelves in May.

What pushes Invincible into the hierarchy of ability is she chooses beats to back her that are matched raw for raw with the bars she spits. From The Lab Techs turning flutes dirtier than you ever knew a wind instrument could get on “Sledgehammer,” to Black Milk pulling an orchestra of strings through a hard-snare mud puddle on “Recognize,” to Waajeed splattering the up-tempo title track with a filthy organ and acoustic guitar, Invincible is laced high and tight with the grimiest soul the D has to offer.

Beyond the beats, Invincible’s lyrical agility and construction are without definition. The emcee, who spent part of her childhood in Israel-Palestine, warrants play-back, play-back, play-back status and covers subject matter past the classic spectrum of Hip-Hop, delving handily into issues on intimate and international levels.

Far warmer than a 40 degree day, ShapeShifters burns 4.5 cigs – easy – on strength of pure, unadulterated Hip-Hop.

TSS Crew member LC Weber spoke with Invincible about the wait to put out the right project – an album that might be one of the best, most well-rounded ones you’ll hear in 2008.

TSS: What made you move to New York? Did you move for the ANOMOLIES, or did you meet them out there…?

Invincible: Basically I went out there to join the ANOMOLIES. I had met the ANOMOLIES on a visit and it just instantly clicked and they were like, really supportive of me. In Michigan I really only knew maybe three or four other female emcees that were really consistently on the scene. We were really few and far apart, you know? And so, to me, ANOMOLIES was just an ideal situation to be around a lot of dope female emcees – and not just emcees, because it is all elements we went into the visual aspect of it with art – but it was just a really nurturing environment for me to be in, and I just decided to move out there to work with them. And we did shows consistently. At that time, ANOMOLIES was doing shows every week in New York.

Basically I wanted to be around more female artists. Like I said, in Michigan we were few and far apart. By me moving to New York, I could be around a whole community of female artists – the ANOMOLIES as well as others that we were working with. And because of that, we became more acceptable and it gave me time to focus on my craft. It allowed me to be who I am and just focus on the art form.

TSS: How did you fall in line with Kweli and them? Just from being in the scene together? 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 »