Goondox is comprised of hip hop legend PMD, NY hardcore rapper Sean Strange and European beat masters Snowgoons. This massive collaboration video features a dozen rappers from all over the continent. Directed by Tom Vujcic.
]]> http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/12/30/the-goondox-pmd-sean-strange-the-snowgoons-raps-of-the-titans-feat-swollen-members-jus-allah-impakt-odoub-klee-magor-virtuoso-meth-mouth-psych-ward-jaysaun-video/feed/ 1 http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/04/26/virtuoso-snowgoons-statue-video/ http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/04/26/virtuoso-snowgoons-statue-video/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:27:11 +0000 http://www.hiphopsite.com/?p=33483 [cont.]]]>

Big Bang Records presents the long awaited video for the fan favorite track “Statue” off of Snowgoons latest album Kraftwerk (Goon MuSick). “Statue” is a monstrous collaboration that links musical mastermind Sicknature from Denmark and Boston lyrical legend Virtuoso. Virtuoso tears this track into tiny pieces with his trademark verbal acrobatics over a rock solid boom-bap backdrop. This track is one of the best selling songs in Snowgoons and Virtuoso’s respective careers and has been setting fire to speakers across the globe. The video was directed and edited by Marsay Seymour (20/20 Vizin) and Virtuoso himself. This is just a taste of the fire to come as Big Virt and Snowgoons are in the process of making an entire album together to be released in early 2012.

Big Bang Records & EMS Productions connect to bring you a powerhouse posse cut featuring the best independent emcees out today. This thunderous display of lyricism connects recent Boston Music Award winner M-Dot with underground hip-hop legend Virtuoso, Army of the Pharoahs member King Magnetic, cult favorite Singapore Kane, hugely popular true-school duo N.B.S. (E’Flash & V.Knuckles), and Red Eye (of The Closers). All over production courtesy of the European hip-hop collective Snowgoons (who featured M-Dot, Virtuoso, and N.B.S. on their recent album “Kraftwerk”)

LISTEN: M-Dot – “Open Heart Surgery” (feat. Virtuoso, King Magnetic, V.Knuckles, Singapore Kane, Red Eye, E’Flash)

M-Dot – “Open Heart Surgery” (feat. Virtuoso, King Magnetic, V.Knuckles, Singapore Kane, Red Eye, E’Flash)

Hip-hop legend Virtuoso is back with another display of his trademark tongue twisting lyricism over concussive production. This time he has enlisted the assistance of long time collaborators Akrobatik (of The Perceptionists) and Casual (of Hieroglyphics). “No Fear” is a sure-fire fan favorite combining two of Virtuoso’s closest collaborators over production from iconoclastic indie production powerhouse Blue Sky Black Death. “No Fear” is a cut off of Virtuoso’s latest full length release titled “The Final Conflict” (the third chapter of the “Word War” trilogy) which is available now on Big Bang Records.

LISTEN: Virtuoso – “No Fear” (Ft. Akrobatik & Casual)

Virtuoso – “No Fear” (Ft. Akrobatik & Casual)

Produced by acclaimed indie hip-hop phenomenons Blue Sky Black Death, “Propaganda” is an exemplary example of Virtuoso’s fierce lyrical abilities and extensive political knowledge. “Propaganda” will appear on Virtuoso’s forthcoming LP The Final Conflict on Big Bang Records.

Produced by acclaimed indie hip-hop phenomenons Blue Sky Black Death, Propaganda is an exemplary example of Virtuosos fierce lyrical abilities and extensive political knowledge. Propaganda will appear on Virtuoso’s forthcoming LP The Final Conflict on Big Bang Records.

LISTEN: Virtuoso – “Propaganda” (prod. Blue Sky Black Death) (MP3)

Virtuoso – “Propaganda” (prod. Blue Sky Black Death) (MP3)

We didn’t forget Army of The Pharaohs in yesterday’s “Where Is The Best Place To Buy Erykah, E-40, Wu, and Usher” article. The point of that article was to compare and contrast different bonus track variations on those four albums being offered at various retailers, and to provide you with the information on how to get the most for your money. Since The Unholy Terror is not available with bonus tracks or special editions, it was not included, but be sure to grab it any retailer anyway.

Still, we have a special treat for you. Back in 1997, we were organizing a mixtape that never saw the light of day, which included freestyles from various artists out there whose products we were selling on HHS. The Danja Mowf freestyle we unearthed a few weeks back was also from this tape.

We also tapped Jedi Mind Tricks for a freestyle, which Vinnie Paz did over GZA’s “4th Chamber” beat – and if we are not mistaken, this was the first ever mention of the Army Of The Pharaohs project that he shouts out at the end of the verse.

We also contacted Esoteric, who teamed up with now estranged Virtuoso, as the two staged an off the head freestyle battle over Raekwon’s “Guillotine (Swordz)” track, and heads were certainly flying on this one. It’s two bad these cats eventually had a falling out.

So, we present to you these unofficial, free AOTP The Unholy Terror bonus tracks. Now go and do the right thing and buy the album. Feel free to spread them around or post on your own blog as well.

- Vinnie Paz – “4th Chamber – HipHopSite.Com Freestyle (1997)” (MP3)
- Esoteric & Virtuoso – “Guillotine (Swordz) – HipHopSite.Com Freestyle (1997)” (MP3)

Let’s talk about the beginning, the Rebel Alliance LP, how did you get hooked up with that project and with Brick Records?

Yeah that was the first thing I ever appeared on, I was like 16 when I met those guys. They were older like 21 or whatever, I had actually already made “Omnipotent” and I had been gaining a reputation in my High School as an ill freestyler, and battling cats in corners. Then I met Fakts One at the Concrete Click’s (Kay-Gee from NBN old group) release party. I was battling some cats in the corner and he invited me up to ERS and then from there some people came up to my High School and invited me to do a showcase. I ended up linking up with Madsoul and Esoteric and then met Lif later at the party. They let me know what’s up with the Brick Compilation, Brick hadn’t really had anything out so I gave them “Omnipotent” and then Eso asked me to drop a verse on “Be Alert” and the rest is history.

The new joint “Fahrenheit 9/11″, why that name?

I had a lot of political s#it about society on the record, and I had a friend that was younger than me join the military at like 17, and now he is over in Iraq. Then 9/11 went down and I don’t really agree with what we are doing over there so, I had been writing a lot of this stuff before everything went down. Then right about the time my album came out, the film (Fahrenheit 9/11) dropped and I wanted to give Michael Moore props for putting it out there on such a high level and exposing a lot of stuff. I had a lot of songs on there but it was one of the more recent ones and I just wanted to update some stuff and give Moore props.

So you have the full length “Evolution of the Torturer: Word War II” and the Mixtape “Fahrenheit 617″, what prompted you to do both of those?

The mixtape was just kind of a promotional tool; we threw on some songs from the album and some freestyles and what not to give the people a little something extra when they bought the album. “Word War II” is the actual album, but honestly it has been done for quite sometime, a lot of the political material has been done for like a year and half or 2 years. This album was actually going to be put on Hiero, but they pushed all their release dates back to 2005 so I had to switch up business situations due to the fact I wanted to get this album out around election time.

Speaking of Hiero, I noticed there are not one, but two songs featuring Del. Are you guys good friends or was this a strictly business deal?

I actually met Del in like ’98 or ’99, we did a tour with him in Europe. It was me Del, Casual, Lif and Esoteric in support of the “Rebel Alliance” LP. Over the years we have stayed in contact and he was actually on my first album which came out in 2000, we have made a lot of songs together. On “War of the Masses” we trade verses back and forth and then we have the other joint that also features Jaz-O. We just happened to be working together a lot at the time and making a lot of songs and the two that ended up on the album, just kind of fit. It wasn’t really a planned thing that he was going to be on 2 song it just kind of worked out that way. He’s been a really good friend for a while, good guy and a dope artist.

You have a different style and voice than most people out these days, would you call yourself a political emcee IE Public Enemy, Dead Prez or more of a battle rapper IE Copywrite, Juice?

I wouldn’t call myself either one of those; I just say that whatever I’m talking about it, it always ends up being intricate with the lyrics and all that. I just have the voice I have, but sometimes I’m yelling more and my voice is higher pitched. I would say a lot of the songs on my new album are me rapping in a more natural tone using my normal speaking voice because it’s more of a straight forward record, it’s not really about ripping up emcees. On the first album I had a lot of songs about society, but on this album I have a song talking about my real life and real experiences. “Devilish” is a song about my life, my childhood, high school, and how life changes as we get older. I would call my self a “real-life” emcee, I can always take it to a battle, but I wouldn’t characterize myself as one certain kind of an emcee, I would just say I’m a lyricist.

Right now the industry has been called in a state of emergency, do you feel this is a correct assumption, or are people blowing it out of proportion?

It has already been a problem, I wouldn’t say it is in a state of emergency, but it is definitely a turbulent time. I mean there is a lot of stuff wrong with the industry and it does need some change that is for sure. People have to be creative in what they are doing right now, it is a tough time for entertainment and everything is a little down, it’s a crazy time.

What are you thoughts about MTV and BET and the lack of independent artists and labels on those 2 channels, or any channel for that matter?

S#it, it would be great if they would play that stuff all the time, if they dedicated half their time to good music. But, you know whatever is greasing their pockets is what they are going to go with. Personally, it sucks; it sucks for the people working really hard to get on. I mean sometimes they play some stuff under the radar or BET uncut or whatever, but it is a serious lack of support for Indies. I mean the gap is getting larger and larger between major and indie labels. The major labels aren’t really messing with Indies anymore, because they have lost so much money. Right now it’s all about an image, so people can hear the music as well as see the music. The majority of music isn’t really saying anything, I’m not saying that every song has to have a crazy message, but I think it is important to see some things talked about in the music. Right now mainstream hip-hop is really at an all-time low, it’s really really bad. It’s close to the time when it was shiny suits and all that. It has become so repetitive I would think even the followers have to be getting tired of this S#it.

Do you have any interest in signing with a major?

I have talked with people in the past and I wasn’t interested in what was coming up at that time. Until you have really made a serious dent yourself, you can’t really get things on your terms. I’m not interested in getting robbed, or somebody telling me how to do my music. I think that if I was ever going to do something like that I would rather do a collaboration type thing, where I still have a lot of control. That’s kind of why I started my own company because I was tired of having my stuff in other people’s hands. So me and my partner Snipe started Omnipotent Records, we have just been working on building the label, building the Virtuoso thing, and working on getting to know the business better. I’m not interested in being a slave, but I want my music to reach as many people as possible. If the right thing came along I wouldn’t say no, but I have seen some crazy things and some real bulls#it in the game. At the moment I’m not really gunning for it, but I won’t rule out the possibility.

So let’s talk briefly about the label, do you think you are going to step back as an emcee and really mentor and run the label or stay in the forefront?

I have been doing a lot of different things; I have been in the studio doing a lot of studio work as well as producing. I have a lot of different interests and I love to do business, I am definitely going to be out there as an emcee, but we have a lot of things about to drop. Jus Allah formally of JMT and T-Ruckus of Knights of the Round Table (T-Ruckus, Mr. Lif, and Insight) will both be dropping soon, plus the compilation “Era of the Titans” which are songs from all of us plus C-Rayz Walz and some others, so we have a lot of stuff coming. I’m also working on a new album which is half way finished. I’m not going to speak much on the album, I’m not going to really let the cat out of the bag, I’m thinking I might switch it up a little, but you’ll hear about it.

So since Fakts was one of the first cats you met, you think you’ll use some of his production.

You know I haven’t really spoken to Fakts, but that is a good idea I’m glad you reminded me. I have a crew of cats that I have been developing and working with, but yeah getting at Fakts would be dope.

Thanks a lot Virt, we appreciate you taking the time during the holiday season to sit down with us. “Evolution of the Torturer: Word War II” is in stores now on Omnipotent / Raptivism records, so stay tuned big things in 2005. Shout Outs?

I want to thank hiphopsite.com, you guys have always been big supporters and if the readers want to get at us, www.bigvirt.com and the label site is www.masshiphop.com.

     “My leader’s name is another word for pussy,” Virtuoso concedes on “Military Intelligence,” where him and fellow Massachusetts emcee Akrobatik take the roles of military weapons and intelligence. If Bush was looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, he was looking in the wrong place, as the duo cleverly insert their own well-thought out lines ripping him for everything from the war in Iraq to the lack of funds spent on finding cures for A.I.D.S.

     “I’m out for presidents to represent me, And I ain’t talking about Bush, He got paper ’cause his family is crooks,” Virtuoso continues on the more soulfully done “Two” (featuring Rise & Shine). Bush is not alone here though, as Virtuoso verbally assaults everyone from those who voted for Bush to those who put their faith in the media to those that criticize Grand Theft Auto video games, but support war.

     Virtuoso saves his best for the controversial “Fahrenheit 911″ though, which (alert Michael Moore!) could have easily doubled as the lead single from the movie of the same name’s soundtrack. The slow droning violins cannot drone out the raw and passionate feelings of distrust and anger from Virtuoso and guest Slaine, as the two create something so poetic and forthright that it’s almost a shame this did not hit before the election.
 Still, the most appealing thing about Virtuoso is that, beyond his political views, affiliations, and strong feeling of responsibility, he is a hard-hitting and powerful emcee, who like another rapper from a similar mold (*ahem* Saigon), creates tracks that are as important as they are catchy - thus the message hits its target better than the typical “Vote for Kerry” emcee this November.

      Scattered amongst the rubble of George W. Bush are several non-politics tracks, including the very Canibus-like “Man of the Hour,” where Virtuoso sticks to spitting regular braggadocio for an astounding 8 minutes (all without hardly a gasp of air!). And the Brooklyn-Oakland-Cambridge connection runs away with “On The Run,” a quick-paced production featuring Del and Jaz-O. His only miscue may be the excusable “A Pound A Day,” his own personal smoke-a-thon, which, unfortunately, follows up the incredible “Fahrenheit” track and ruins the mood for a moment of time. But probably any track could have failed at that position, so why not go out in a “blaze” of glory? Move over, Jadakiss and “Why.” While other emcees were standing around asking light-hearted questions with one or two political phrases, Virtuoso damn near calls the president out on everything from starting a war to leaving the toilet seat up. And the end result is an election of a different kind. Which rapper went after Bush the best? One vote….for Virtuoso.