Los Angeles rappers, Dilated Peoples stopped by Sway in the Morning to discuss their new album, Directors of Photography. First, the group started off speaking about the new class of rappers who are also lyrical, like TDE. Additionally, they explained how using independent outlets to promote their music helped them. In addition to speaking about their work with Aloe Blacc, Peoples spoke about the importance of calling out wack rappers and emcees to bite other people’s styles.

While the audio isn’t great, it’s rare we see Dilated interviews, so here’s one from Adramatic crew. Babu talks about the new album, Directors Of Photography, how the song “Rain Or Shine” produced by Babu for Evidence was originally for Common, a track on the new album called “Hallelujah” featuring Evidence, Rakaa, Fashawn, Rapsody, Action Bronson, Domo Genesis and Vinnie Paz, and other topics.

French hip-hop act, Aral & Sauze, grab 2/3 of Dilated Peoples for this collaboration. From the album, Connection, which also features Statik Selektah, Buckwild, Marco Polo, and DJ Revolution, among others.

In this episode, Dilated Peoples and World Famous Beat Junkies member DJ Babu talks about his love of country western music and hitting up flea markets in Brazil with Cut Chemist and J. Rocc. Crate Diggers profiles people with extraordinary vinyl record collections, with owners displaying and telling the stories behind their collections.

“Comfy In The Truck” is the latest single and documentary from Closed Sessions Vol. 2, released by Chicago indie label Closed Sessions. The song features Blu, who visited Chicago in February of 2011, and hit SoundScape Studio on the cusp of releasing No York!, his major label debut. The song is produced by DJ Babu, and came about after Blu saw previous Closed Sessions and wanted to participate.

Third release from RubyHornet’s upcoming Closed Sessions Vol. 2.

From DJBooth.Net:

If DJ Babu and Trek Life were books… well, I’d be really confused about how a couple bundles of paper and glue had managed to record music together. But, to roll with this completely absurd hypothetical a little longer, the Dilated Peoples DJ/producer and the West Coast rhymesayer would be shelved in the Non-Fiction section—they’re simply too real to fit in anywhere else. The eighth exclusive world premiere in DJBooth and Event Electonics’ ongoing 20/20 Music series, this gritty selection finds Babu crafting a slow-rolling synth-sample beat (complete with a hook sampled from U.T.F.O.‘s classic Leader of the Pack) to back Trek’s unfettered display of lyrical aggression: “Loadin’ up rhymes and start blastin’ / I spit with a passion, so my comparison to guns is more realistic than you imagine.” The end result is a hard-hitting, gimmick-free banger sure to impress anyone with a taste for that raw ish.

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In part one, DJ Babu speaks with HipHopSite.Com’s DJ Pizzo about spinning in Las Vegas at Saville Row, and how he selects his programming when putting a set together. In part two, Babu talks about future plans, including his next solo record, Duck Season 4, as well as the Dilated Peoples reunion LP, tentatively titled “Directors of Photography”.

Evidence, the producer/MC who made his mark as a member of the venerable L.A. outfit Dilated Peoples, is primed to release his second solo full-length, Cats & Dogs, via Rhymesayers Ent. With lyrical contributions from Slug of Atmosphere, Raekwon, Aloe Blacc, Prodigy, Aesop Rock, Krondon and more, Cats & Dogs is a feral demonstration of boom-bap instrumental sensibility underlying gully rhyme schemes.

To get fans properly stoked, Ev has recruited DJ Babu to seamlessly mix a five track mini-sampler of the upcoming album. If you’re digging this taste of what’s to come, be sure to cop Cats & Dogs when it’s released on September 27 via major outlets and for direct purchase on DJBooth.net.

01. Falling Down
02. Strangers
03. I Don’t Need Love
04. It Wasn’t Me
05. You

Evidence – “Cats & Dogs” LP Sampler (Mixed by DJ Babu)

Fresh off the heels of their brand new album, The Family Sign, their landmark headlining performance at the Soundset Festival and a well-received Bonnaroo appearance, Atmosphere are announcing another string of live dates with label-mates Evidence and DJ Babu (of Dilated Peoples), Blueprint, and Prof. The tightly knit crew will bring a multi-faceted set of performances to venues both intimate and vast, delivering new music and time-tested favorites.

Columbus, Ohio’s Blueprint will be supporting the dates with a set drawn largely from his April release Adventures In Counter-Culture, a self-produced gem that straddles rock and pop while remaining steadfastly hip-hop. Representing Rhymesayers’ western contingent, Evidence will be supporting his highly anticipated Rhymesayers debut Cats & Dogs with DJ Babu of the legendary Dilated Peoples, and long-time Rhymesayers affiliate Prof rounds out the bill.

08.06 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza ^
08.07 – Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom
08.09 – London, ONT @ London Music Hall
08.10 – Toronto, ONT @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
08.12 – Bangor, ME @ KahBang Festival
08.13 – Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights *
08.15 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
08.16 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
08.17 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
08.19 – Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater
08.20 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Grand at The Complex
08.21 – Eagle, ID @ Eagle River Pavillion
08.22 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
08.24 – South Lake Tahoe, NV @ Montbleu Resort
08.25 – Santa Cruz, CA @ Civic Auditorium
08.26 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
08.27 – Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Amphitheatre
08.28 – Albuquerque, NM @ Convention Center

^ – Only Atmosphere
* – No Babu

He said, “And the Doobie goes to…..”

2011 Decon Never Not Fresh SXSW Recap video with Freddie Gibbs, Rakaa, Aceyalone, Gangrene, Classified, Shad, DJ Babu and more. Shoutout to HipHopDX.

From Decon:

Here’s the first leak off Closed Sessions: ATX titled ‘The Roadhouse’ featuring Curt@!n$, GLC, Rakaa and produced by DJ Babu. Look for Closed Sessions: ATX to drop in stores and on iTunes on 3.15.11. If you’re headed to SXSW in Austin this year, be sure to check out the official Closed Sessions: ATX Showcase + Release Party featuring many of the artists on the project and some special guests.

Wow, Curt@ins taking shots @ Jay, Nas, and 50? Heh.

LISTEN: Closed Sessions: ATX – “The Roadhouse” (feat. Curt@!ns, GLC, & Rakaa; Prod. by DJ Babu)

Closed Sessions: ATX – “The Roadhouse” (feat. Curt@!ns, GLC, & Rakaa; Prod. by DJ Babu)

Chicago’s Ruby Hornet presents “Bionic Jaws”, produced by DJ Babu of Dilated Peoples, and GLC and Rhymefest as the masters of ceremony. Check out the making of the track below.

LISTEN: DJ Babu – Bionic Jaws feat. GLC & Rhymefest

Babu writes this about the latest entry from The Beat Tape Vol. 2, availalbe now.

Follow me once again as i take u on a trip to LA’s Beat Swap Meet and to the home studio of the Funky President! Shouts out to Woool, Dj Expo, Andy, The Alchemist, DJ Able, C-Los, Marv-Ski, AC the PD, The Listen Recovery Crew, Dj Slow-Poke, The Beat Swap Meet, & J.Rocc.