Remember White Van Music?

Previously Posted – “Great Sound” – Review Of Jake One’s White Van Music | TSS Presents Fifteen Minutes With Jake One | “As Told To…” – Jake One’s “Hurt U”

Generally, the bickering and babbling that coincides with ranking the year’s best LPs tend to blur the focus on the overall picture.

While some albums directly catered to personal preferences more immensely than others, all the selections emerged amongst the year’s best in regards to quality, visibility and of course, durability. Behold fifteen albums deserving of all the accolades and praises heaped upon them throughout the course of 2008. And their value will only solidify going in to 2009.

No order. No bias. Just noteworthy Hip-Hop.

Nas – Untitled

“From the brooding opening piano loop of “Queens Get The Money” to the uplifting snares on “Black President,” Nas channels his inner Walt Whitman as he explores the Black Diaspora. Lyrically though, his wordplay and delivery are sharp as ever as if all the attention to the title made Nas put extra effort and focus into his words…“ — From “America” – Review Of Nas’ Untitled Album

BONUS – Get familiar with Nas & DJ Green Lantern – The Nigger Tape Read the rest of this entry »

This is what you call “Winter music.” Stop sleeping on Jake One’s latest greatest, including this cut featuring Freeway & Brother Ali. Read the rest of this entry »

Generally what you hear from the final product of an album doesn’t represent the entire creation process. Scrapped songs and altered production ironically are the setbacks that constitute forward progress.

Still fresh with the aroma from the 4 Cigs caused by his debut album White Van Music, Jake One caught up with TSS to break down the origins of the album’s bonus track “Hurt U,” which features the efficacious pairing of Pharoahe Monch and Kardinal Offishall. Read the rest of this entry »

Few players in the game are able to maintain underground credibility and major league success like Jake One. Producing for everyone from 50 Cent to MF DOOM, Jake has crafted a sound all his own that artists and fans on both sides of the track seem to be eating up. With the recent release of his debut album, White Van Music, Jake has successfully straddled the line between underground and mainstream, putting Freeway and Brother Ali on the same track and chopping it up with both Young Buck and Plug One on the same record. With a busy year ahead of him as G-Unit’s in house producer as well as one of the premier beat makers of our generation, Jake phoned in to cut it up with the Crew’s Landon A. to see what’s really good.

TSS: What’s going on Jake?

Jake One: Shit, just been doing interviews all day.

TSS: Oh yeah, how’s that been?

Jake One: It’s been going cool.

TSS: Where you at right now?

Jake One: I’m back home in Seattle. Just got back from Minnesota on Tuesday.

TSS: Where at in Seattle? My folks just moved out to Kirkland.

Jake One: Oh really? I’m right by Broadway in Capitol Hill.

TSS: What’s the Hip-Hop scene like out there?

Jake One: There’s been a lot of stuff going on but for whatever reason it doesn’t get out of the city for the most part. I would say there’s a couple of guys worth listening to, there’s a kid D. Black who’s on my album, whose album is pretty good. Then the other kids Spaceman and Pinder, those are like two other artists I’m working with too, so I’m trying to get them going and get people to care about them.

TSS: What about Boom Bap Project, I know you’ve done some stuff with them.

Jake One: Man they don’t even live here anymore. Like Karim’s in San Francisco and Dom’s in Portland; they’re talking about working on a new record though. Read the rest of this entry »

Jake One is a producer that harkens back to earlier days before multi-millionaire, beatmakers took over Hip-Hop. Not known for a signature sound or a fancy mixtape series, Jake One possesses a keen sense of what beats MCs will sound great over. The Seattle native drives this point home over 22 tracks with a diverse group of artists on his album, White Van Music. Read the rest of this entry »

Previously Posted — Jake One Feat. Posdnuos & Slug – “Oh Really”

I’ve been sitting on this album for a few days, trying not to let loose too many tracks. But Shake let this one out the bag first and eskay & X snuck one out as well so I don’t feel so bad lol. Read the rest of this entry »