Too often, MCs claim to be incorporate that “nineties feel” into their music but rarely deliver on such promises. Thankfully for most older fans, Truck North doesn’t know any other way to bring it. In fact, the Philadelphia freestyler was so headstrong, his mixtape — the stellar Truck Jewels — almost didn’t happen because mixtapes have become “too flagrant” as he so eloquently put it.

Get inside the head of a traditional MC who hates ringtone rap and where he thinks he measures up with Black Thought in terms of bar for bar explosiveness. He’s appeared on the last three Roots’ albums come to think about it…

TSS: So you’ve established your own footing with Truck Jewels. How do you feel about that?

Truck North: I feel good about it! I was an anti-mixtape dude. For obvious reasons of course. The game just got fucked up. I was like “Man, fuck it. I’m not gonna do a mixtape. I’m not gonna be like everybody else.” But it was dope though cuz it was all based off of people actually wanting to hear something.

TSS: And it stayed true to the actual mixtape format with some songs clocking in a little over a minute…

Truck North: Oh definitely! In and out! I know how my attention span is and I can’t expect somebody to devote an hour and forty-five minutes to my ego (Laughs). Thirty songs and shit…c’mon man.

TSS: Backtracking a little bit, where did you get your first national spot on a record. You were on The Roots’ [The Tipping Point]. Was that the start of it all?

Truck North: Nah, that was my first Roots album. The first thing I ever did that ever came out was some joint called “Bang, Bang” that ended up getting used for OkayPlayer’s True Notes Vol. 1 and subsequently ended up getting used for NBA 2K5. Read the rest of this entry »

My day just took a turn for the better with this dropping. Eagerly awaited…by me alone, judging by the tepid reception I mentioned the other day. I’m fine with that lol.

Includes features from Black Thought, ?uestlove, Reef The Lost Cauze, Wale, Dice Raw, Indy 500, and Roscoe P. Coldchain. Whamp whamp! Hit the break for the back cover with tracklisting & the link. Read the rest of this entry »

Truck Jewels drops next week, 6.2.09. And as long as he keeps Read the rest of this entry »

Mustard green funk mixed with Truck’s talking tough, kicking the episodes of a hustler.

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Download — Truck North – “Never Ending Flip” (Prod. by Bear-One)

Previously Posted — Truck North – “What More Can I Say” Video | Truck North – “Hard Times”

Truck Jewels drops on 6.2.09 because OKP said so.

Previously Posted — Truck North – “Hard Times”

No Hip-Hop crew would be nearly as strong without dependable soldiers to call on to add depth to discographies. If you’ve been following The Legendary Roots Crew for the latter half of this decade, most recently Rising Down, surely the name Truck North rings bells. Instead of going incognito while The Roots earn a steady paycheck with Jimmy Fallon, the Philly representer is set unload his Truck Jewels for the world to bear witness. Read the rest of this entry »