I don’t want to hold you back from listening to this great album, so this write-up is going to be short and sweet. Trek hit me up about Duke Westlake and, I admit I was totally sleeping. Duke chimed in on our twitter convo and showed me the video he did. (Kids shut your eye or skip the next two words.) F*CK’N CRAZY, so I had to post that too. Duke Westlake’s Memory Palace put me in this dream like, high energy, creative state of mind. I was instantly inspired to create something… anything. After the 4th round of Memory Palace I went back to work with round 5 playing. Very dope album that you need to hear.

“I stumbled onto a record store and acquired some interesting vinyl from their surprisingly abundant dollar bin. The music I discovered inspired me to make a collection of raw beats / instrumentals. Memory Palace is the first of a three part series of this music I’ve decided to release.” – Duke

Check out Duke Westlake on Knock Steady, SoundCloud, and Twitter. Download Duke Westlake – Memory Palace here. I honestly hope you charge for this soon. BIG Thanks to the homie Trek Life for the heads up. Duke, I’ll totally check my email more often brother. BIG Thanks for making dope music.

I heard about Sonnyjim from Trek Life playing this track on DJ Buddy TV one night. I had to look this cat up. The Psychonaut is the title track to the LP, but it’s when I heard the Kelatron remix that I put it on repeat. The original track is pretty heavy, but the remix has this nasty dubstep beat. I almost went def cranking up the volume in my headphones. I gotta check out the rest of the LP. Download Sonnyjim – The Psychonaut on BandCamp. BIG thanks Trek.

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SONNYJIM – The Psychonaut (Kelatron Remix)

Once again I was watching DJ Buddy TV , and got some good info on new music. My man Trek Life gave a shout out to this producer cat named KIC who dropped Kicology Vol. 1 a while back. Trek is on the up and up when it comes to recommending music, so I checked it out. I downloaded KIC’s  Kicology Vol. 1 and it was really good. This is the point where I usually tell you “I have it in heavy rotation,” but I think I’m just going to tell you to GET IT! In addition to checking out Kicology Vol. 1, KIC released Kicology Vol. 2 a few days ago. Download KIC – Kicology Vol. 1 & 2 on Band Camp. It’s right in my queue to download. BIG thanks to Trek Life for another great recommendation.

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KIC – The Crunch

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KIC – The Soul Wave

I was watching DJ Buddy TV one Wednesday night. Mr. Sobers and up and comer A3 were promoting their collaboration project Study Long, Study Wrong. DJ Buddy and Trek Life interviewed the panel and afterwards it was the live performance segment of the show. DJ Buddy threw on a track, I started nodding my head, and then Mr. Sobers dropped in with ill lyrics. I was like “what track is that?!” They rocked a couple more tracks, and peaced out. Right away I went to Illregular Instrumentals to cop Study Long, Study Wrong. The title track Study Long, Study Wrong will have you cranking up the volume. If this is Mr. Sobers‘s debut album, I’m afraid to see what else he’ll break out with next. Don’t get it twisted that cat A3 is bringin it. Download Mr. Sobers X A3 – Study Long, Study Wrong on Band Camp. BIG Thanks to Trek Life, DJ Buddy TV and Crew.

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Mr. Sobers – Hands Up (prod. A3 and Cuts by DJ Buddy)

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Mr. Sobers – Dolo (prod. A3)

I’ve seen the name Skeem Price pop up on several projects like Trek Life’s Everything Changed Nothing, Richard Wright’s #ramdommixtape 4.0, and then on some Black Cloud projects. He’s dealing with some good people, so I had to keep an eye out for this cat. I ran into Skeem Price at the Little Temple Bar, and he mentioned his mixtape was getting ready hit and to keep an eye out for it. I don’t have much to say about Skeem Price’s Hazard Mixtape except GET IT! If this is a glimpse into what’s to come, you need to put Skeem Price high on your list. Gats & Pounds featuring Richard Wright is a banger, and that beat J. Bizness got on Star Struck… ridiculous. I won’t steer you wrong with this one. Download Skeem Price – Hazard Mixtape on Band Camp. BIG thanks to Skeem Price for the heads up. Big shout to DJ Buddy cutting it up & the host Chuck Dizzle.

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Skeem Price – Gats & Pounds feat Richard Wright

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Skeem Price – Treez Up feat Paradice & PL (prod. by G-Rocka)

Now that the family has left and the turkey is half gone, what do you have? DJ BUDDY! Over the long weekend my man DJ Buddy cranked out Mini Mix 100^th. For those of you who don’t know, DJ Buddy is a DJ in the LA area, the host of DJ Buddy TV, and cranks out his Mini Mix series on a regular. We have previously featured a DJ Buddy Mini Mix with one of our favorite artists Trek Life. DJ Buddy drops exclusives, big artists, new artists and all around great tunes. Every Wednesday check out DJ Buddy TV, his Mini Mix series, and updates on Twitter. Congrats DJ Buddy for your 100th mix. Keep giving the people something to dance to.

Mello Music Group, in my opinion, has built up an impressive catalog of independent Hip-Hop in a relatively short period of time. You may already be familiar with their work with Diamond District (XO, yU, Oddisee), Apollo Brown & Trek Life; in which case, the odds are quite good that you agree with me.

Helpless Dreamer is a compilation album that releases Nov 23rd, and is a preview of their 2011 slate. With contributions from Black Milk, Magestik Legend & Roc Marciano, Helpless Dreamer checks in at a solid 13 tracks – from both the lyrical and sonic perspectives.

Highlights include: Oddisee’s innate sense of space on the soulful Different Now, featuring Toine. The Detroit triumvirate of Finale, Invincible & Black Milk on Don’t Sleep. KC native son  Stik Figa‘s collaboration with Oddisee, co-produced by Dunc entitled,  From the Top, which is part of  Oddisee’s effort to promote regional Hip-Hop flavors.

Beats+Crates got the jump on your other favorite blogs with this one.

Download Stik Figa – From the Top prod. Oddisee

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My man Trek Life is not playing.  This is the Year of the Trek, and with his latest album, Everything Changed Nothing, there is no questions about that.  I heard So Supreme from ESPN, and a few other tracks here and there.  The day the album hit stores Trek’s in-store at Fat Beats, I bought the album right then and there.  On Everything Changed Nothing  Trek teamed up with super producer Oddisee to bring you this heavy hitting, west coast inspired album.  I’ve had it in heavy rotation since.  To me, Everything Changed Nothing is an uplifting, inspiring, and a motivating album.  Due West, Wow, & So LA will make you get up and move.  Trust me, you’ll have it in heavy rotation soon enough.  Buy Trek Life – Everything Changed Nothing at Fat Beats or your local record store.  BIG thanks Trek Life & Oddisee for making a great album, and BIG shout to DJ Buddy and J. Bizness.

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Trek Life – What It Is (Cuts By DJ Buddy & Prod. Hudson Mohawke)

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Trek Life – So Supreme (Prod. Oddisee)

“FIVE – A conceptual art show that will feature five forms of art: spoken word, music, art/graphic art, photography and dance.  Providing a full house artistic environment, an event that brings together lovers of all types of art & vision.” — Mykisha

Friday, August 20th is going to be an exploration of the arts hitting all your senses.  Nothing but good times.  There’s going to be performances by Trek Life, J. Bizness, Mykisha Thomas, and on the 1′s & 2′s DJ Buddy just to name a few folks.  At FIVE there’s going to be something for everyone, so bring your fun loving souls and your dancing shoes to Gallery 1018.  Click here to buy tickets.  BIG thanks to Mykisha for the heads up.

Friday Aug. 20th // Doors open @ 8pm

Tickets $10 , at Door TBD

Gallery 1018

1018 South Santa Fe Avenue Los Angeles, Ca

I was checking the updates on my man Trek Life’s site, and ran across the name Richard Wright.  I recalled the name from checking Brick To Ya Face, Curtiss King’s BIG Drums Come Knockin mixtape, and Trek Life & J Bizness Rhymes Within Reason.  I had to check out #randommixtape4.0, and if Trek is talking about it…you NEED to check it out.  Richard Wright has dropped 4, yes 4 #randommixtapes, and has appeared on a gang of other tracks.  His sound is infectious and if you haven’t seen this cat in your town performing…you will.  Download Richards Wright – # RandomMixtape4.0 from BandCamp.  BIG thanks Trek for being the dope taste maker you are.  And I’ll be looking for that next Trek Life project to drop.

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Richard Wright – God Damn (Magic Man) ft. Belvi

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Richard Wright – Ignant Shit