Dres is back, and on Tommy Boy. This is the first single from his upcoming project, produced by DJ Bazooka Joe, which will also feature beats from DJ Premier and Showbiz.

DJ Premier’s “Bars in the Booth” is for SERIOUS SPITTERS ONLY! Session 1 featuring Papoose verified as much! For the uninitiated, “Bars in the Booth” is a new series Preemo has started which revolves around titan emcees of all genres coming thru and being put to the test over a DJ Premier track!

Simply, “Bars in the Booth” isn’t about age, popularity, or how many Twitter followers you have; its about an Emcee and a DJ moving the crowd—and that is the definition of Hip-Hop.

For Session 2, Premier linked up with up with Dres (of Black Sheep & Native Tongue fame):

“Thanks to Dres from Black Sheep for being the next up on “Bars in the Booth.” He killed it. We got more “Bars in the Booth” coming soon, so subscribe to the channel so you do not miss a thing. Press Play!!” – DJ Premier

@Jarobione @Dresblacksheep an incredible visual for an exceptional song – Jarobi and Dres are joined by Brand Nubians Sadat X for a needed east coast Boom Bap Banger. Produced by Will Tell. Photography by Adam McDaid. Directed by Emil Moller.

The renowned New York-based Native Tongues crew has something brewing for the new year! Evitan (“native” spelled backwards), the new hip-hop duo featuring Andres “Dres” Titus of Black Sheep and Jarobi White of A Tribe Called Quest, have officially debuted the first single, “P.T.I. (Occupy Wall St.)”.

The track touches not only the specific happenings of the Occupy movement but also on the broader feelings of anger, uncertainty, and a desire to mobilize felt by young and old people across the country. “The 99% need to have not just a voice, but voices,” says Dres regarding what inspired them to write the song. “We need to have more voices that speak to our plight beyond what is given to us via the media.”
]]> http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/12/21/evitan-dres-jarobi-p-t-i-occupy-wall-st-video/feed/ 2 http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/06/16/exclusive-black-sheep-on-the-kia-commerical-be-faithful/ http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/06/16/exclusive-black-sheep-on-the-kia-commerical-be-faithful/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:15:32 +0000 http://www.hiphopsite.com/?p=35460

Black Sheep On The Kia Commerical & “Be Faithful” from HipHopSite.Com on Vimeo.

In the final part of our interview with Black Sheep, DJ Pizzo asks Dres about his thoughts on “The Choice Is Yours” being used on KIA commercials and on Crooklyn Clan’s “Be Faithful”.

Dres of Black Sheep Speaks On The Native Tongue Reunion & A Tribe Called Quest’s Documentary from HipHopSite.Com on Vimeo.

Dres of Black Sheep speaks with HipHopSite.Com’s own DJ Pizzo, about the Native Tongue reunion on his new LP, From The Black Pool of Genius, the potential of a Native Tongue album, and his thoughts on Tribe’s Beats, Rhymes, and Life documentary.

Dres of Black Sheep Speaks On “A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing” 20 Year Anniversary from HipHopSite.Com on Vimeo.

HipHopSite.Com’s DJ Pizzo sits down with Dres of Black Sheep in Las Vegas, to discuss the 20th anniversary of A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing, as well as the potential for a commemorative re-release.
]]> http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/05/17/exclusive-dres-of-black-sheep-on-a-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing-20-year-anniversary/feed/ 0 http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/02/17/dres-the-black-sheep-reveals-his-black-history-hero/ http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/02/17/dres-the-black-sheep-reveals-his-black-history-hero/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:23:29 +0000 http://www.hiphopsite.com/?p=30792

Dres praises Dr. George Grant for his contribution to golf in this AHH clip.

HHS: Some people might say welcome back but you’ve been staying busy on the scene. From the EP late last year, to the remixes and videos you’ve done, your presence is everywhere. Now that the album, From The Black Pool Of Genius, is finally here, how are you feeling?

Dres: I’m really proud…a deep sense of achievement. I’ve worked very hard on this project and it represents a totally independent venture of creative minds. In addition to the hard work of myself and team…I was very fortunate to have a Great Mind in my corner…my manager Tamara Gardellis.

HHS: How do things compare between being on a major and an independent label? You come from an era where labels put out 3 or 4 singles with videos!

Dres: Well…it’s quite different to be honest…but liberating all the same. The major labels route is more like a very high interest loan…whereas, indie, you’re trying to be much more smart as opposed to throwing money at a problem or manipulating the media in your palms. I’m very glad to be on this side of the fence…it’s a time where the playing field is much more leveled and I’ve done enough homework to take advantage of the terrain.

HHS: You’re recording under “Black Sheep” now but you and Mista Lawnge parted ways around the time of 8WM/Novakane, correct?

Dres: Yes it is…during 8wm/Novakane, Lawnge decided to do his own thing and parted to record a solo album. I could do nothing but wish him well and move forward.

HHS: “Birds Of A Feather”, off the new album, is pretty incredible – not only because of having Q-Tip, Dave from De La & Mike G from The Jungle Brothers on there with you, but I think it’s a great example of brotherhood. How was it recording that particular record?

Dres: It was a long time coming pleasure. I’m an extreme advocate of us getting back together…if only a month or two out of the year…and touring…making music. We represent so much…at times, I think, more than we realize…it was an honor and a pleasure to mend that particular song together…wasn’t simple.

HHS: Was the plan from the beginning to release the From The Black Pool Of Genius EP first and follow it up with the album? It’s a really cool idea, giving people of taste of things to come.

Dres: Yes, it was…once again…to reiterate the strength of a good team and devoted management. We were able to put schematics together to follow on our road to a successful venture.

HHS: Next year will mark the 20th Anniversary of A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing. Are there plans to celebrate that classic in 2011 with a re-release or shows where you would perform the album in its entirety?

Dres: I would like to see Lawnge and I do a tour to celebrate this monumental anniversary…to perform the album in its entirety would truly be a joy!!

HHS: From The Black Pool Of Genius is much needed and welcomed. Thank you for all the years of great music and many more to come. Thanks for taking the time Dres.

Dres: Thank you…word up…and thank you to the Hip Hop community. You are truly appreciated.

The new album “From The Black Pool Of Genius” is available now:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/from-the-black-pool-of-genius/id379686003

Dres of legendary Black Sheep gives an exclusive look into the making of his forthcoming album, From The Black Pool Of Genius and the collaboration with Craig ‘muMs’ Grant.

Following the success of his December 2009 EP, Dres of the legendary Queens, NY outfit Black Sheep will drop his long awaited full length LP, From The Black Pool Of Genius, on April 6th. To celebrate the release,Dres is proud to announce the official Prelude Remix Contest. With the contest, Dres is giving aspiring and established producers alike the opportunity to remix all five cuts off Dres’ From The Black Pool Of Genius: The Prelude EP, with the best submission of each of the five tracks being selected by Dres to be released for the official Prelude Remix EP, which will be subsequently released via all major digital retailers.

After downloading a cappella versions of the songs – which can be found through http://whostheblacksheep.com – contestants will have four weeks to craft their respective remixes. All remixes must be sample-free. While producers can submit only one remix per track, they are allowed and encouraged to submit remixes for each track, making up to five possible remix submissions. In addition to each winner having their version included on the official Remix EP, Dres will also record one 16 bar verse for each of the winning producers on a beat of their choice, and each producer will win a free drum pack from Platinum Loops: the Hip-Hop Drums – Blazin Beats Volume 1 Sample Pack. Winning producers will also receive a signed copy of the From The Black Pool Of Genius: The Prelude EP. Think you have what it takes to catch the ear of legend?

To enter the contest, or for further information about the contest, including download links for the a capellas, rules, deadlines, and prizes, please see below or visit: http://whostheblacksheep.com.

Entry Date And Deadlines:
• The contest opens 12:00am EST on March 2, 2010, and closes at 11:59pm EST on April 2, 2010. All entries must be received on or before 11:00pm EST on April 2, 2010.
• The winning submissions will be announced on or before April 15, 2010.

To Enter:
• Download the acapellas from http://www.remixcomps.com/Black-Sheep-Remix-Contest. Craft your sample-free remix around Dres’ vocals and submit a 320kbps MP3 (44.1kHz constant bit rate, normal stereo) file of your remix along with your name and email address to BlackSheepRemix@gmail.com.
• All remixes should be titled in the same format: “Name of Producer – Name of Track being remixed”

Judging:
• All entries will be judged and selected exclusively by Dres.
• Dres will announce the winning submissions for the Prelude Remix contest on Thursday, April 15, 2010.

Prizing:
• Each winning producer will have his or her submission included on the official From The Black Pool Of Genius Prelude EP.
• Each winning producer will receive a free 16 bar verse from Dres on a beat of their choice (all winners must submit the beat for collaboration within four weeks time of the contest close).
• Each winning producer will win a free copy of Platinum Loops’ Hip-Hop Drums – Blazin’ Beats Vol. 1 Sample Pack.
• Each winning producer will receive a free signed copy of Dres’ From The Black Pool Of Genius: The Prelude EP.

On April 6th, Dres of Black Sheep will return with a new album entitled From The Black Pool Of Genius, his first new LP since 2006. He set things off late last year with an appetizing EP release, From The Black Pool Of Genius: The Prelude, which dropped in December.

The full-length, however, will include Dres collaborating with some larger, legendary figures in hip-hop, tapping longtime friend and producer Showbiz, as well as the Beatnuts, AZ, Jean Grae, and Rhymefest. And in a surprise move, the album will include a bonus track reuniting Native Tounge members Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, Dave of De La Soul, and Mike G of the Jungle Brothers. Also helping out with production will be new producers Paten Locke, Tough Junkie, and BeanOne.

“I once heard a poet say that ‘hip hop backward is ‘pih poh (people)’- the way I see it, many artists are a lot more hip-hop than they ever realized.” As for the album title, Dres explains that, “Black Pool doesn’t refer to black people. It refers to the color black’s unique ability to absorb light. This deep, vast pool of soul, of artistic insight; although it’s not always understood, the light it reflects back to the ‘pih-poh’ is necessary.”

Leading up to the album will be a series of “Hot Tracks Of The Week” from Dres, featuring the Black Sheep frontman rhyming over hot beats. The first is below.

Dres The Black Sheep “I Wanna Rock” (MP3)

But back then, it was only a dream, and an intro to Black Sheep’s classic debut album A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing , a jazzy collection of humorous interpretations of everyday life, such as strobelight hoes, similak children, and of course, the choice drugs of the era, 40′s and blunts.

Following the Sheep’s classic debut was the avoidable Non-Fiction LP, which did little to maintain the sound of their debut, with lackluster sales causing them to lose their deal with Mercury. Fast fowarding to the present, in the new wave of former hip-hop allstars finding new life on the independent railroad, Dres the Black Sheep returns. But minus Mr. Lawnge, Dres has nobody to wake him up from the nightmare of being hardcore.

If this LP had a video, you’d be more likely to see Dres chillin’ on a corner with six or seven street cats, than in a field with a flock of sheep. But the shift in image doesn’t necessarily make this a bad album. What it isn’t, is anything remotely close to the group’s magnum opus debut. You really won’t find any clever parallels here, and few conceptual joints like the group showed in their debut. The uniqueness and careful planning of songs like “La Menage”, “Strobelight Honey”, “Flavor of The Month” and just about every other track is not here. But then again this is a Dres album, not a Black Sheep album.

Don’t get the wrong idea, Dres is in no way trying to be the next DMX with this album. He’s actually just been influenced by the brothers he’s been kicking it with forever, The Legion, who lend a large hand in production and rhymes on the LP. It’s actually easier to accept this album when you look at it as some underground street shit, almost on a Show & AG kind of vibe. For example, tracks like “Grand Groove”  really exhibit the boom bap like it should be done, and while a much more edgy sound than we re used to from Dres, it still works.

But then again, if Dres was going for that kind of sound, it might have suited him better to get with producers who have mastered it, such as Showbiz, for instance. The Legion’s contributions are actually the lowest point of the album, as their beats and rhymes aren’t awful, just a bit out of place. Dres actually saves himself with the majority of his own self produced tracks, which tiptoe back into the jazzy fields of the first album. “You’re So Vain” is a quintessential hip-hop love song with a twist, as it begins praising the Dres s former object of affection, only to flip the script when the hook comes. “You’re so vain, I bet you think this song s about you” sings a for once appreciated Horace Brown, as Dres then points out he would have never realized the value of his new shorty, if not experiencing the mistake he made with his ex. “Night Time” is another R&B flavored jazz track that is pulled off nicely, as Dres simply praises the nocturnal hours. Finally, “Tru Kings”, the album s closer, is candidate for the most uplifting song of the year, just leaving you feeling positive about everything.

Listening to the LP, while Dres s metaphorical style seems a little bit dated ( Yo, I be in the cut like a knife ), the brother still possesses true mic presence that is still a pleasure to listen to, unlike other past favorites, who seem like it s been exorcised out of them. What could have made this LP better would have been A) if Dres had either stuck to doing what he does best, that is, practicing the Native Tongue style, or B) if Dres had gotten a better team of producers to back him up with higher quality street soundtracks. Ultimately, this is where the battle of independent vs. major labels comes in.

If signed to a major, Dres could have possibly gotten a budget to afford some better producers. He could have also tended to the advice of the right A&R, who could have either transformed Dres into a more reputable street rhymer (i.e. A.G., Guru ) or taken him back down the path of the black sheep. But many would argue that being an independent artist is keeping it true, or whatever. That as an indy artist, you call the shots, and you make the music how you want it. Well, this is exactly where the problem lies. There’s no A&R around to tell Dres that it may be how he wants it, but this isn’t how we want it.

Similar to the case of Kool G Rap’s recent Roots of Evil , from an indy vs. major standpoint, the independent emcee loses. Until we see a reunion with Lawnge, or even a second Dres solo album more on the original Black Sheep vibe, Dres may need to rethink his style and character.

But maybe we ve been reading it wrong the whole time. Maybe Dres really is a cash crazy street thug, who can appear to be an intelligent emcee when he wants to, truly a wolf in sheep s clothing.