Back story: this was supposed to be released as a private Christmas card of sorts, but due to the hecticness of the holiday, it wasn’t released in time. So, I’ve decided to give this out to the masses as my first mixtape of 2012! No squandering of good music on this side.

Vibe wise, there’s no big agenda behind this one. Just tunes that give you a little reprieve from this biting Canadian winter (well, biting in some parts of Canada, lol). Liken this to the Exquisite Mixes of old: my favorite songs of the moment brought together for your enjoyment.

Many thanks to Theo Gibson for the cover art!

Lunice – Out Of Touch
Keys ‘N’ Krates – Luv To Luv You
Brandy – Baby (Mensa Blend)
Teedra Moses – Another Luvr
Jhene Aiko ft. Kanye – Sailing Not Selling
Jurassic 5 ft. Nelly Furtado – Thin Line
Red Cafe ft. Ryan Leslie & Rick Ross – Fly Together
J. Cole – Workout (Mensa Blend)
The Throne – New Day
Phonte – Everything Is Falling Down
Drake – Club Paradise
Estelle ft. Jadakiss, Swizz Beatz, Busta – Break My Heart (Remix)
Elle Varner ft. J. Cole – Only Wanna Give It To You
Mary J. Blige ft. Nicki Minaj – Feel Inside
9th Wonder ft. Marsha Ambrosius – Peanut Butter and Jelly
Shi Wisdom ft. KJ – Lovespeak
Kendrick Lemar – She Needs Me
2Pac – Do For Love (Mensa Blend)
Goapele – Break of Dawn
Mayer Hawthorne – No Strings
Scar ft. Cee-Lo – What Is This?
Wale – Lotus Flower Bomb
Miguel – Sure Thing (DJ Marvel Remix)
Saukrates – Say I
Drake – The Ride
Lianne La Havas – No Room For Doubt

PREVIEW “DJ MENSA IS…BUNDLED UP”:

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DOWNLOAD “DJ MENSA IS…BUNDLED UP” (right click save as on PC, ctrl+click on Mac)

http://www.djmensa.com/mixes/djmensa_bundledup.mp3

http://www.djmensa.com/mixes/djmensa_bundledup.mp3

http://www.djmensa.com/mixes/djmensa_bundledup.mp3

AMAZING COMPETITION THIS YEAR. SHOUTS TO MY PEOPLES HEDSPIN FOR WINNING AND DRASTIK THE RUNNER UP!

PEEP MY SET HERE:

SHOUT OUT ALL MY DJ PEERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO GREAT TO LINK UP WITH Y’ALL!

UPDATE: ANOTHER THRE3STYLE RECAP VIDEO!

THANKS TO ALL WHO REACHED OUT TO OUR APPRECIATION PARTY LAST MONTH! IT WAS A BLAST (OF COLD) BUT WE RAISED A TON OF CANNED GOODS AND $1400 FOR SKY’S THE LIMIT! THANK YOU

THIS MONTH, WE BRING OUT THE BIG GUNS WITH A SPECIAL LIVE PERFORAMCE FROM CHANTEUSE ANDREENA MILL AND THE NOTES TO SELF CREW ROCKING OUT DOWNSTAIRS!

FIRST TEAM UP WITH THE LIFE OF THE PARTY TABOO AND SOME OF AMAZING SOUNDS.

CATCH ME RINSING URBAN VIBES DOWNSTAIRS WITH THE ONE AND ONLY MISS ANGE OF FLOW 93.5!

MUSIC IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

ALL THE TIME MUSIC IS GOOD

~THE JUKE JOINT~

SAT. JAN. 21ST @ REVIVAL (782 College St @ Shaw)

Main Floor: 4 Hour Tandem Set Of House By…

DJ JASON PALMA (Higher Ground Radio) &
TYRONE SOLOMON (Sweet Tears)

+ An Early Set By CHRIS SAKAI
Percussion By… THE GURU BROS.

Stone Lounge: Real Hip-Hop + Rhythm & Blues By…

DJ MENSA (The Main Ingredient) & MISS ANGE (Flow 93.5)

Hosted By… TABOO, FREKKLS & WAN LUV!

$5 Drinks B4 Midnight – Ladies $5 Off All Nite!
Cover (Ladies/Gents): $10/$15 B4 Midnight – $15/$20 After
Additional $5 Off On All Night Guestlist – info@tabooevents.com

With Thanks To…
Hyped? Ent, TO FLO, LetThereBeHouse.ca & Bad-Perm.com

THE FIRST THAT SH!T CRAY OF 2012 COMES OUT GUNS BLAZIN’

WE WELCOME THE NOTAURIOUS GLORIOUS, TAUREAN SCOTLAND TO THE CRIME MOB.

WE’RE ALSO CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY OF THE ORIGINAL TRIPLE BEAM DREAM, AROWBE THREE TIMES.

THE MOVEMENT STAYS GROWING. LAST PARTY ENDED WITH SOME RUFFIANTS SINGING SMOKED OUT KENDRICK LEMAR ANTHEMS AND CHOPPED AND SCREWED A$AP AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS!

BEATS PROVIDED BY

THE CHAIN SWANGIN’ NUTS HANGIN’ DOJA SLANGIN’ DJ MENSA AKA PISSY STAIRWELL

&

THE MEAN MUGGIN LADY THUGGIN CUTE AS A BUTTON ‘NO WIFEY IN THE CLUB CUFFIN’ DJ AMY TRAPHOUSE AKA DJ AMY TRAPHOUSE, BITCH.

AROWBE ON THE MIC UNTIL HE OVERDOSE ON THAT XO.

ONCE AGAIN, COME EQUIPPED TO 2-STEP TO SOME:

CURRENT SOUTH BANGERS
CLASSIC REGIONAL HITS FROM ALL OVER
ANTHEMS ABOUT MATERIAL WEALTH AND POSSESSION

AMY WITH AN AMAZING CHOPPED AND SCREWED SET

SOMEONE RUBBING THE FUZZY WALL AFTER SMOKIN’ THAT JEFFREY.

THE DETAILS

THAT SH*T CRAY

with DJ’s Mensa & Amy Traphouse

playing 75bpm all night

hosted by Arowbe

FRIDAY JANUARY 20
 @ 751

751 Queen St. W.

$5 cover, no dress code

WE’RE STARTING 2012 WITH A CLEAN SLATE AND CLEAR CONSCIENCE!

IF YOU DO FOR US, WE’LL DO FOR YOU.

TWO CANNED GOODS FOR A NIGHT OF AMAZING PARTY?

WHAT’S MESSING WITH THAT???

The Academy & Shaman present…
THE MAIN INGREDIENT
APPRECIATION
FREE ENTRY ALL NIGHT (see conditions below)
Saturday, January 14, 2012

* * * * *

MENSA (http://djmensa.com/)
AGILE (http://djagile.com/)
SEAN SAX (http://djseansax.com/)

soulful hip hop / R&B / soulful house / disco / soul classics / nu-jazz / roots reggae & more

Hosted by:
WAN LUV

Saturday, January 14
REVIVAL
783 College St.
(at Shaw St.)
Cost: FREE ALL NIGHT
Entry Requires: 2 non-perishable food items + your email address (or $5 donation)
RSVP to provide your email and get on the list. Info & booth requests.
Email: themainingred@gmail.com (single RSVP’s – no +’s)

FOOD AVAILABLE AT ALL 2012 TMI’s FROM MASSIVE CATERING!

ALL FOOD DONATIONS WILL GO TO THE DAILY BREAD FOOD BANK.

CASH DONATIONS TO DAILY BREAD & SKY’S THE LIMIT (computers for kids).

* * * * *

The Main Ingredient recommended listening

Jean Grae
Cake or Death
Coming soon…
Listen to “U & Me & Everyone We Know”

http://snd.sc/vSHgfA

Muhsinah
Gone (Deluxe Edition)
Coming soon…
Watch “Stop!”

ONE MORE TIME FOR THE WEST END!

BE SURE TO SAVE SOME ROOM IN YOUR STOMACH FROM TURKEY ON THE 25TH!

So very happy to be rocking out with friends and family at my second home, Revival on the last day of 2011.

Do join us as we enter 2012 on a wave of amazing music and good vibes.

2 floors of Toronto’s finest selectors on the decks.

Something for the house aficionados and for those who want a bit of everything!

$25 Early bird tickets can be purchased online by simply clicking this link:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2624291326/djmensa/24764960677

NYE 2012 LIFETIME Party!

Join the DYLH? & TMI families as they ring in the NEW YEAR at Toronto’s favorite HOTSPOT for Soul Infused R&B, HIP HOP, REGGAE, DISCO & HOUSE MUSIC.

featuring DJs:

Groove Institute (DYLH?, Solid Garage)

Junior Palmer (DYLH?, PBPK)

Stan Zeff (Tambor, Atlanta)

Dirty Dale, (WHJ, Say Yes)

Ace Six (Thompson Hotel)

DJ Mensa (TMI)

Lissa Monnet

percussion by: Chico Pacheco

hosted by: Yogi, Wan Luv, Junior Palmer & Big Philly

Doors: 9.30 pm

Admission: $25 Earlybird (Online Only)**, $35 Adv., More @ Door

Ticket Locations:

Online:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2624291326/djmensa/24764960677

**$25 Earlybird tickets on SALE now til Sunday Dec 18th Midnight

Stores:

Cosmos Records – 663 Queen St. W. (416 861 9228)
Play De Record – 375A Yonge St. (416 583 0380)
Soundscapes – 572 College St. (416 537 1620)
Livestock – 116 Spadina Ave. (416 360 5483)

CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAY OF THE GOOD HOMEY MISTA JIGGZ!

SHOUT OUT THE GOOD PEOPLE OF INK EVENTS!

THIS SPOT RAMS UP EVERY WEEK!

GETTING MY CRATES READY FOR THIS ONE!

GAS UP THE TANK AND HEAD ON OUT TO THE FALLS!!!

THE LAST EDITION OF AN AMAZING YEAR OF THE MAIN INGREDIENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR REACHING OUT EVEN ONE OF OUR PARTIES! ALL OF THE RESIDENT DJ’S ON DECK AND READY TO ROCK, SO BELIEVE THIS WILL BE A BARN BURNER!

GET AT ME QUICK TO GET ON THE GUEST LIST!

FACEBOOK INVITE SHORT MESSAGE:

The Main Ingredient invite you to dance in the holidays with Mensa, Agile, and Sean Sax. The re-united Formula 1 Sound crew (Surreal Sound & DJ Shai) join us in the Stone Lounge, wrapping-up the complex for this amazing December evening. We’ll see you there!

TEXT LISTING FOR LISTINGS, BLOGS, FACEBOOK, ETC:

The Academy & Shaman present…
THE MAIN INGREDIENT
Here Comes The Holidays
Saturday, December 10, 2011

* * * * *

MENSA (http://djmensa.com/)
AGILE (http://djagile.com/)
SEAN SAX (http://djseansax.com/)

soulful hip hop / R&B / soulful house / disco / soul classics / nu-jazz / roots reggae & more

Hosted by:
WAN LUV

In the STONE LOUNGE
FORMULA 1 SOUND
hip hop * reggae * R&B * classics * more

DJ SURREAL SOUND (Hip Hop Love)
DJ SHAI (Xigon International)

Saturday, December 10
REVIVAL + STONE LOUNGE
783 College St.
(at Shaw St.)
Cost: $15 before 11:30pm | more after | reduced guestlist by RSVP
Doors 10pm| 19+
For info: Bdays & Reduced Guestlist themainingred@gmail.com

* * * * * * * * * *

The Main Ingredient recommended listening

The Roots
Undun
Coming December 6th!

Def Jam Recordings: The First 25 Years
Of The Last Great Record Label
Available now…

Common
The Dreamer/The Believer
Coming December 20th!

Mateo
Love & Stadiums II EP
Coming December 6th!

THE RETURN OF THE CRACK RAP MEANS JUST THAT

IT MEANS THE RETURN OF THE REAL HARD WHITE AND REAL TRAP.

STILL CATCHING THE VAPORS FROM LAST WEEK’S WATCH THE THRONE STOP IN THE DOT? WELL, LOOKY WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

THE GLORIOUS RETURN OF THAT SHIT CRAY!

WE TOOK A LITTLE HIATUS, BUT NOW WE BACK LIKE COOKED CRACK!

THE FIRST CRAY WAS AN EPIC SWEATBOX THAT SHOOK 751 TO THE CORE. WE RE-UPPED, GOT OUR CEO UP, AND NOW WE’RE COMING FOR SECONDS.

THE SUPREME TEAM LINE UP IS BACK IN EFFECT BRINGING YOU NOTHIN’ BUT THAT SLAP. SLOW AND LOW IS THE TEMPO.

DJ MENSA AKA PISSY STAIRWELL

DJ OMADA AKA AMY TRAPHOUSE

AROWBE AKA ROBERT BOLTON…MOTHERFUCKER!

EXPECT:

CURRENT SOUTH BANGERS,
CLASSIC REGIONAL HITS FROM ALL OVER,
ANTHEMS ABOUT MATERIAL WEALTH AND POSSESSION
OMADA WITH AN AMAZING CHOPPED AND SCREWED SET
SOMEONE RUBBING THE FUZZY WALL AFTER SMOKIN’ THAT JEFFREY.

THE DETAILS

THAT SH*T CRAY
with DJ’s Mensa & Omada
playing 75bpm all night
hosted by Arowbe

FRIDAY DECEMBER 16
@ 751
751 Queen St. W.
$5 cover, no dress code