Latest single from my good peoples from North Carolina. Download it here.

Shouts to Aimee Flint, Nicolay, and Phonte!

And if you’re unfamiliar with one of my favorite groups of the past 10 years, get caught up with my best of FE mixtape!

and my personal favorite. if ANYONE has a 320 hit me up!

JEAN GRAE FT. PHONTE – THE TIME IS NOW

I’ll be the first one to tell you I’ve never stepped inside a Fat Beats, but fuck it, I acknowledge the influence this store has had on the underground movement at large since hip-hop’s second golden age and beyond. This store has hosted its seminal figures, indie and otherwise. To commemorate this moment in time, I’ma post up some clips of some great hip-hop moments immortalized in its four walls.

Do remember the Fat Beats movement is still going strong, albeit in an online presence. Cop your shit from FAT BEATS ONLINE

You had to have heard this by now, but I’m fully going in and saying this is one of cooler things I’ve heard this year. Catch me doing Ashtanga Sun Salutations to this moody Beebz. If you’ve got a little more than a half hour to spare, vibe out to it! Shouts to Shamantis

J. BIEBZ – U SMILE 800% SLOWER by Shamantis

Shouts to Notaurious, his protege L is making a splash on the Toronto rap scene. His bars are tight, and gets the full Mensa co-sign. Grab all of his tunes and dubs right here. Catch him hosting your next party or tearing down your fave posse cut real soon!

Respect
Download Link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/783688404141a63a/
DJ Pack – http://www.mediafire.com/?2nrunygo5jxotyz

Must Be Heard
Download Link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/791539964a0f0dec/
DJ Pack – http://www.mediafire.com/?1hk2h2kbi2i1j3s

L’s Blog – http://12thlettermusic.wordpress.com
L on Twitter – http://twitter.com/lthe12thletter

I met my homey Black El from Boston when him and his dude Durkin were doing shows for NxNE last year. I’m a fan of their vibe and been keepin’ in touch with ‘em as they steady mob on the party scene in Beantown. ‘El is putting out his long awaited LP “Color Commentary” out on August 31 and, to create a buzz, leaked a couple of non-album cuts to whet your appetite.

On “Milf & Cookies”

EL wrote a track inspired by Stacey Dash over a loop of The Bumblebeez’s “Black Dirt.”

Download Black El “Milf & Cookies” (Produced by Durkin)

On “Clockwork”

It’s a short one. EL rips one long verse over one of my beats. No hooks (word to Shaq-Diesel). It’s just over 2 minutes long.

Download Black El – “Clockwork”

On “Ride”

Super-duper chill track. Ideal for the late night drive home from the clurb? you tell me.

Download Black El – “Ride”

Safe to say, this is essential listening. Shouts to the whole Ridgeway team.

DOWNLOAD WE ON SOME RICH KIDD SHIIIIT VOL. 4 (right click, save as)
DOWNLOAD WE ON SOME RICH KIDD SHIIIIT VOL. 4 (right click, save as)
DOWNLOAD WE ON SOME RICH KIDD SHIIIIT VOL. 4 (right click, save as)

In the midst of our hottest summer yet, I compiled a mix that caters to the long bouts of loafting and ‘nothing doing’ often attributed to humidex and no A/C. The rolling greenhouse that is your car in traffic at high noon. Deal with it. Walmart and Zellers are sold out of electric fans. Bummer. Cones and Popsicles have a shorter shelf life in the sun. Finish it quick.

At least you have something to listen to.

Mind you, Toronto barely cracked 30 degrees all of last year, so take what you can get, people.

Vibes is real mellow. Small cresendo. Some hot exclusive blends. Enjoy!

DJ Mensa presents LAZY DAYS

Slum Village ft. Samiyyah – Fall In Love (Reprise)
Jose James – Promise In Love
Common ft. Queen Latifah – Next Time
Miss Jones – Where I Wanna Be Boy (DJ Mensa Blend)
L-Marie – Already Fallen
Anita Baker – Sweet Love
Drake ft. Phonte – Think Good Thoughts
Theo 3 ft. Tona & Andreena Mill – How I Flow Pt. 2
De La Soul – Respect
DJ Agile ft. Liya – Focused
Janelle Monae – Oh, Maker
Erykah Badu – Fall In Love (Your Funeral)
Heart Attack – Untitled
The Dream – Veteran
Drake – Still Got It
The Roots – The Day
Outkast ft. Cee-Lo – In Due Time (DJ Mensa Blend)
Miguel ft. J. Cole – All I Want Is You
Electric Wire Hustle – Perception
Onra – Long Distance
Zo! ft. Erro & Darien Brockington – This Could Be The Night
Mya – Case of the Ex (DJ Mensa Blend)
Mayer Hawthorne – Your Easy Lovin’
Andre 3000 – All Together Now
Rick Ross ft. Ne-Yo – Super High
Camp Lo – Luchini (DJ Mensa Blend)
Nas – Hey Young World
Drake – 3am Freestyle In Dallas
The Roots – Doin’ It Again
Flying Lotus – Heave(n)

DOWNLOAD DJ MENSA “LAZY DAYS” MIX (Right Click, Save as)
DOWNLOAD DJ MENSA “LAZY DAYS” MIX (Right Click, Save as)
DOWNLOAD DJ MENSA “LAZY DAYS” MIX (Right Click, Save as)

P.S. Thanks to SIIK for the hot artwork!

My longtime cohort Robert Bolton had been AWOL from the Toronto scene for the past year getting his diploma paper up (congrats) and is now back in the city picking up on the project he had left off.

Along with Alexander The, they comprise the Nintendo-rap group Times Neue Roman. Having done their fair share of basement parties and indie showcases, they’re set to release the music that earned them their hi-energy reputation.

LISTEN TO THEIR “TALKING SPORTY” EP HERE
LISTEN TO THEIR “TALKING SPORTY” EP HERE
LISTEN TO THEIR “TALKING SPORTY” EP HERE

Watch an old video (cut by me) documenting their pop-up performances throughout the city out of the back of a U-Haul truck (along with Styrofoam Ones) during Nuit Blanche 2008.

Arowbe’s second project is BROADWAY SLEEP, a collaborative effort with Alexander The, Sarah Shafey, and Ralph Joesph.

Their sound is wholly different from TNR, drawing from a more organic source for their product.

Read up on their upcoming releases and preview their tunes here
Read up on their upcoming releases and preview their tunes here
Read up on their upcoming releases and preview their tunes here