For those of you who don’t know, Mr. Hawthorne is quickly becoming one of the hottest Soul/R&B artists in the world.  He’s collaborated with some of hip-hop’s top dogs such as Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams and many more. As a DJ, producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, there is seemingly nothing he cant do.

Each of his albums is unique and groundbreaking, yet reminiscent of the golden age of Motown and the great artists that gave birth to the genre/culture that we all adore – hip-hop. In fact, Mr. Hawthorne never intended on being a blue-eyed-soul singer; he was on his way being a hip-hop producer and DJ in Detroit when he realized that he was spending so much time and money getting samples cleared, that he decided to start making his own music.

Going back to influences such as Barry White, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Al Green, etc, (who have been sampled by just about every hip-hop producer ever) Hawthorne decided to make his own sound through the same vein. Some would compare him to artists of the 60’s and 70’s, but Hawthorne has no intention of recreating something thats already been done; instead, he takes the same baby-making vibe that we all love to love to, and brings it to the next level.

His most recent album, Man About Town, might be his sexiest yet. Kicking off with the appropriately named song, ‘Cosmic Love’, Hawthorne eases us into his out-of-this-world album. I could give rave reviews about every song on the album, but I’ll keep it to just my favorites. ‘Breakfast in Bed’ is sure to make your body groove with its smooth bass lines, and beautifully integrated horns. Skipping ahead, ‘Get You Back’ — my personal favorite for its raw emotion, impressive singing, and (as a given with all of Hawthorne’s tracks) near perfect production — wraps up the album with a beautifully heartfelt, heartbreak song. The album in its entirety tells a story of love, and lack there of for the man about town himself, Mr. Mayer Hawthorne.

P.s. His other project, Tuxedo, with acclaimed producer Jake One is more of a disco vibe, guaranteed to set any party off right.

Oh and don’t forget to catch him live!

Jun 21 Bell Centre (w/ Hall & Oates) Montreal, Canada

Jun 23 Molson Amphitheatre (w/ Hall & Oates) Toronto, Canada

Jun 24 Terminal 5 New York, NY

Jun 25 Lakeview Amphitheater (w/ Hall & Oates) Syracuse, NY

Jun 26 The Surf Lodge Montauk, NY

Jun 28 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA

Jun 29 9:30 Club Washington, DC

Jul 01 Ann Arbor Summer Festival Ann Arbor, MI

Jul 02 Summerfest Milwaukee, WI

Jul 03 Mamby on the Beach Festival Chicago, IL

Jul 07 Twilight Series – Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica, CA

Jul 08 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, NV

Aug 15 Billboard Live Akasaka, Japan

Aug 16 Billboard Live Akasaka, Japan

Aug 18 Billboard Live Osaka, Japan

Aug 20 Summer Sonic Festival Osaka, Japan

Aug 21 Summer Sonic Festival Tokyo, Japan

Nov 03 ELYSEE MONTMARTRE Paris, France

Nov 06 Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands

Nov 08 Astra Kulturhaus Berlin, Germany

Nov 09 Mojo Club Hamburg, Germany

Nov 10 Stahlwerk Dusseldorf, Germany

Nov 13 Ottakringer Braurei Vienna, Austria

Nov 14 Posthof Linz, Austria

Nov 15 Plaza Zurich, Switzerland

Nov 16 Alte Feuerwache Mannheim, Germany

Nov 18 Band on the Wall Manchester, United Kingdom

Nov 19 Brooklyn Bowl London, United Kingdom

With All Due RESPECT.: 5 Songs You’ve Been Sleeping On (6/13)

With All Due RESPECT.: 5 Songs You’ve Been Sleeping On (6/6)

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The post Tap Into The World of The Ol’Souls, As They Gear Up for SOULSEASON appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The saying goes, “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue,” and very rarely does one get all of that and more in a single package, much less a single album. But here I am, in the living room of my West Philadelphia apartment, receiving a gift fit for someone entering a long term commitment. And I suppose I am, in some ways, committing to this music. This album is loving me back or, at least, I like to think it is. Whether it’s the way he marries lighthearted pimpin’ with a coarse, sultry tenor, or the funky bass riddled boom bap that has become a hallmark of his brand of hip hop, it’s safe to say that Anderson .Paak is making his own lane in an industry that has become altogether cut-and-paste.

If Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is the album that urged hip hop back to its jazz and soul roots, then Malibu is the album to solidify this new era with an unmatched accessibility. The culprit’s name is Anderson .Paak, formerly known as Breezy Lovejoy, who is often cited as the grooviest man in the room. Malibu has dropped after a year marked by a relentless campaign of releases and collaborations with the likes of Knxwledge, Tokimonsta, and most notably Dr. Dre. His prominence on Compton, from tracks like “Animals” and “All In A Day’s Work”, brought him a considerable amount of attention and set the stage for a breakout release in this most recent LP.

On Malibu, .Paak delivers a unique mix of grit and longing in his vocals that helps elevate the album from fitting neatly into a single genre. The matrimony of singing and rapping intertwined with incredibly refreshing production from the likes of 9th Wonder, Madlib, Hi-Tek, and many others creates a soundscape that travels back and forth in time without missing a beat. On the tracks “Am I Wrong” featuring Schoolboy Q, and Lightweight, we find ourselves in a disco laden groove with .Paak giving us his best McFadden & Whitehead impression. On the slower, more sensual cuts (i.e. The Waters, Room In Here ft. The Game, and Waterfall), we receive an irresistibly smooth, sly voice that’s convincing us to stay for awhile. But what is most distinct about this album is the mastery of Anderson’s cadence–the shift from rapid fire rhyming to swaying phrases to all out singing creates textures that are a delight for anyone with an open mind and a love of hip hop.

2016 is already on pace to be a phenomenal year in music. Malibu is out of the gate bright and early, on bended knee, asking for your affection, if only for the moments until another album whisks you away on another love affair. But that’s just it–it doesn’t take much convincing when the music loves you back. RE

Malibu is available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music, and if you dig it, slide the man $9.99. Consider it a gift to yourself, you deserve it.

The post REVIEW: Anderson .Paak Delivers with “Malibu” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

“This cassette was made with dust, vinyl, drum machines, breaks, kicks, snares, chops, kicks, loops, and soul.”

We witnessed this entire project unfold. Ologist, by way of Virgina and a proud Better Beat Bureau member, reached out to “some of the dopest producers” he knew via Instagram in the summer of 2015. The project’s original title, or concept rather, was The IG Beat Collective – which is self explanatory and simply amazing if done properly. But that is no issue for Ologist and producer Analog Burners, who both formulated the project now known and available as ‘When Crates Create‘.

Toggling back and forth on the which physical format to release the 18-track collaboration, they chose cassette. Oh yes, a good old classic beat tape. Boy how we miss those, huh? Perhaps this doesn’t tickle the fancies of the average radio listener or trap star, and that is totally okay. This predominately caters to an audience of true school, and old school, hip-hop heads – but not limited to. Your grandmother or country ass brother in-law could easily ride out to the wide, yet cohesive body of work.

There are too many names to list for you, but check the track list out as you stream it. If you’re not familiar with a lot of the beat smiths throughout the tape, do know they all take this craft very seriously and give eternal praise to the culture – as you should too. Yeah you. Enjoy the stream and keep up with the lords. Peace and love:

If you missed Analog Burners & Starvin B‘s ‘Starvicide‘ release feel free to splurge. It’s something you should probably be familiar with. One love.

Ologist | Analog Burners | When Crates Create

The post When Crates Create Is The Ultimate Instrumental Tape (Stream) appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Georgia artist Resource steps aside from his group FTGU, a duo composed of Resource and his twin brother Jam, to share a solo EP titled Soul. Inspired by J Dilla and DJ Premiere, Resource tenaciously searched for beats throughout the web to put together the soothing sound Soul delivers. Production credits go out to Ricky Vela, Tom Misch, BluntedBeatz, Tom Misch, and James Beau Barclay.

The 5-track body of work was created in Resource’s bedroom studio, with the only feature on the project being Jam on “What Up”. Check out the music video for “What Up” here. “I’m giving what I got until there’s nothing left/Every now and then, my life is such a mess,” Resource spits.

Asking listeners to search within themselves, Resource is introspective and relatable all while remaining melodic in every song. “Right Now,” a stand-out cut that appears fourth on the project, is an upbeat, motivational single that has great potential. The EP though short, is quite an experience that is worth a listen. Stream below!

The post New EP: Resource – “Soul” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Dionne Bromfield has been making rounds over the years as a singer, collaborating with acts such as:  Diggy Simmons, Mz Bratt, Lil Twist, and Tinchy Stryder, to name a few.

She has a soulful, vintage vibe to her and her sound has definitely matured over the years.  She started making noise around the young age of 13.  Now, at 19, Bromfield has had plenty of time to blossom as an artist.  Put this in perspective: she’s been trained by a legend of our era.  Bromfield is Amy Winehouse‘s goddaughter and protégé. You can hear Amy’s influence in her tone, but she definitely has her own unique sound.

The ballad, Black Butterfly, is a soulful tune that has you following her every note.  When people think of Amy, this song makes a beautiful tribute by the right person, her godbaby.  It was also co-written with hit-makers, Sia (Chandelier, Titanium, Rihanna – Diamond,  etc.) and Chris Braide (Christina Aguilera, Lana Del Rey, etc.).

“There was a black butterfly that flew in at Amy’s funeral and it landed on Kelly Osbourne’s shoulder. It stayed there for the whole service, then flew out as soon as the service had finished. It’s probably the best song I’ve ever written, and I was crying when I recorded it.”  (Source: Amy Winehouse Forever)

I don’t know how true this statement is, but if it’s true, then that’s beautiful.

This tribute allows the soul of Amy Winehouse to rest in peace…

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Richard Young / Rex Features ( 1022731bt )
Amy Winehouse with goddaughter Dionne Bromfield
Q Awards, Grosvenor House Hotel, London, Britain – 26 Oct 2009

(Above:  Bromfield covering The Shirelles’ with godmother, Winehouse on the background vocals.)

(Above:  Throwwwback!! From 2009!!)

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It’s been 18 years since fans were first exposed to the inner workings of Lauryn Hill’s psyche. Her debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, is a collection of knowledge that seems more relevant now than it was in 1998.
Though artists like Janelle Monae and Rapsody have fed the hunger for positive female role models in the hip-hop industry, Ms. Lauryn’s ability to bridge the gap between spirituality and self-empowerment has not been duplicated since her musical departure.
Her ability to be completely open and honest allowed her story telling ability to act as advice, offering alternative solutions to dealing with self-worth and social injustices.

In songs like “Everything is Everything” and “Doo Wop (That Thing)”, Hill depicts the internal and external struggles African Americans face daily. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” focused more on the perception young African Americans have about themselves, encouraging fans to realize their self worth. “Everything is Everything” voice the struggles African Americans face in their communities, urging them to use hip-hop as an outlet and not to give up hope on a better ending.

The soulfulness and honesty that came from her lyrics offers strength to a generation that has experience the darkness of police brutality and self-worthlessness. Though nostalgic, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill explains the reality the millennial are currently facing, providing a much-needed voice for their struggles.

The post “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” Speaks Louder Now Than in 1998 appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.