In celebration of Def Jam Recordings‘ 30 year anniversary, RESPECT. Mag and iHeart Radio have collaborated with the label to bring you all, ’30 Days, 30 DJ’s, 30 Mixes!’ Every day in the month of November, a new mix will drop from one of hip hop’s very own favorite DJs. Since November has already begun, the mixes are in full play! We started off with Tony Touch followed by DJ Scratch and tomorrow will be DJ Mr. Choc! Here is the link for the mixes! Make sure to hit the site every day to see who will be dropping some fire for you next!

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When we wrote about this song upon its initial release last week, we emphasized its sense of innovation. Now that it’s been paired with its video, which has an intentionally “dusty” visual aesthetic, the more traditional elements of the track stand out, notably the drums. The more you know?

More importantly, watch the video below. Jean Grae, DJ Scratch‘s production and Mobetta Brown‘s trumpet, are a force to be reckoned with.

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Cake or Death is chilling in an archive somewhere, but Jean Grae is still at large, slaughtering tracks just for the fuck of it. Her latest casualty was assisted by the talented Maurice Mobetta Brown , a Grammy-winning trumpet player and emcee who excels with both his voice and his horn. Featuring raspy production from DJ Scratch and tightly crafted verses from Jean Grae  “Back at the Ranch” is truly a beautiful track . Songs like this really show off the invigorated and innovative spirit that both rappers and fans tend to eschew (both consciously and unconsciously). Listen below and replay it until you know every word, every ad-lib, the hook, every break and every note from the trumpet. If that sounds like a lot of work, don’t worry: you’ll enjoy every moment.

“Back at the Ranch” is the first single from Mobetta‘s upcoming album, Maurice vs Mobetta. Quite a single, isn’t it?

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TVOne’s Unsung is one of my personal favorite shows.  If you are unfamiliar with the concept of the show, think VH1’s “Behind The Music” with an urban twist and with artists who weren’t necessarily mainstream success stories.  The show has exposed audiences to the stories of artists like: Sly Stone, Tammi Terrel, Midnight Star, Isaac Hayes, and more recently, the show has put the spotlight on hip-hop fixtures like: The Fat Boys, Big Daddy Kane and now EPMD.  

On last night’s episode, viewers were able to see the rise of EPMD with iconic albums Strictly Business, Unfinished Business, and more.  The show also exposed their fallout: the break-in at Parrish Smith‘s house, which was rumored to be plotted by Erick Sermon. It also profiles their last video, “Headbanger”, which was ultimately the break up of EPMD. The show also showed their reunion and why they came back together after four years of not speaking.  Great episode and as a avid watcher and fan of the show, this is probably one of my top five favorite episodes.

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