Special Herbs T-Shirt: http://store.nature-sounds.net/store/products-page/featured/mf-doomspecial-herbs-t-shirtpre-order/

Special Herbs T-Shirt + Box Set: http://store.nature-sounds.net/store/products-page/doom/mf-doomspecial-herbs-t-shirtpre-order-duplicate/

Planet Asia helped jump-start the West Coast independent hip-hop movement, releasing a slew of popular 12-inch singles on upstarts like Stones Throw and ABB Records in the late 90s that established him as one of the leaders of a crop of talent that included the likes of Dilated Peoples, Madlib, Murs, and Jurassic 5.  Now a 15-year veteran, the Cali-based MC (born in Fresno, he’s spent most of his career living in Los Angeles and San Francisco) shows no signs of slowing down.  The first decade of the new millennium saw Asia briefly sign with major label Interscope, go independent again for his debut album The Grand Opening, release full-length collaborative projects with both Evidence of Dilated Peoples (The Medicine) and DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill (Pain Language), form his own label (Gold Chain Music), and work with everyone from Linkin Park to Bun B to Ghostface Killah.  Now, Planet Asia is back with his first retail album in four years, the star-studded Black Belt Theatre.

Named after a 1980s Saturday-afternoon TV show and inspired by Planet Asia‘s favorite films, Black Belt Theatre combines the violent precision of classic kung-fu flicks with the calculated cool of classic blaxploitation movies.  “I wanted to make the album like a movie, something you would see in a theater,” says Asia.  “That’s why it has so many features.  All the guests feel like different characters in the movie.”  These guests include veterans like Raekwon, Talib Kweli, Paul Wall, Ras Kass, Camp Lo, and Strong Arm Steady, as well as newcomers like Fashawn, Willie The Kid, Torae, and Nio Tha Gift.  “They’re basically just all people I thought were dope,” says Asia.  “Both young cats I’m feeling and veterans I’ve always admired.”  Unlike on his albums with Evidence and DJ Muggs, Asia also got to determine the sonic direction on Black Belt Theatre, resulting in a soul-heavy, blaxploitation-influenced sound.  “It was fun because I got to reach out to guys like Oh No and Khrysis for beats, find the best tracks and put together a masterpiece,” explains Asia.  “It’s some esoteric gangster shit…a full plate for the listener.”

Pre-Order Now: http://store.nature-sounds.net/store/products-page/product-category/planet-asiablack-belt-theatrepre-order/

Download Free Track: http://naturesounds.bandcamp.com/track/golden-state

Despite producing music for over 15 years, DJ Roddy Rod has remained one of underground hip-hop’s best kept secrets.  As a vital member of two landmark underground collectives (Maspyke and DC’s Low Budget Crew), Roddy has worked with countless top-notch artists, including Q-Tip, Edo G, Doug E Fresh, Planet Asia, Wordsworth, Kev Brown, Grap Luva, Oddisee, and many more.  His instrumental opus Oakwood Grain was released in Japan in 2005, and he went on to release the Rawkus-certified Blunk Park Sessions in 2007.

Now, Roddy is ready to unveil the official instrumental follow-up Oakwood Grain II.  An 11-track “solid english oak edition” is now available digitally through Humble Monarch, and the full 40-track physical version (containing both volumes I & II) will be hitting stores on February 28th, 2012.  “Everyone’s been hitting me up, asking when it’s coming,” says Roddy.  “I wanted to give them something for the holidays.”  The digital version contains 10 thumping Roddy Rod beats, plus the soulful vocal track “Keep Transit” featuring Bilal, Finale, and Muhsinah.

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/id489601568
Bandcamp: http://humblemonarch.bandcamp.com/

Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Timbo King released his much-anticipated debut album From Babylon To Timbuk2 earlier this year.  Now, he’s back with visuals for the album standout “The Autobiography Of Timothy Drayton,” produced by M.O.P.‘s Lil Fame.  Shot in and around Timbo‘s hometown of Brooklyn, the video tells the true life story of one of underground hip-hop’s unsung heroes.  Get From Babylon To Timbuk2 now: http://store.nature-sounds.net/store/products-page/featured/timbo-kingfrom-babylon-to-timbuk2/.

Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PBNudMp5sI.

While you wait for the full-length DOOMSTARKS album, we’ve got a very special limited-edition single.  Full-color picture-disc vinyl featuring images of both masked villains, plus a Serato tone for all the digital DJs.  Get more details and purchase at the link below.

http://store.nature-sounds.net/store/doomstarksvictory-laps-serato-12-picture-disc

Wu-Tang affiliate Hell Razah was the victim of a horribly timed medical emergency last year, which delayed his latest album Heaven Razah and left him unable to participate in promo activities that most artists take for granted.  Consequently, we reached out to R.A. The Rugged Man and Timbo King to help us shoot the video for the Heaven Razah track “Return Of The Renaissance,” while holding out hope that Razah could eventually participate.  Check here to watch the finished video, complete with an introductory message from the Sunz Of Man MC himself (his first public sighting since the surgery).

“When it happened last year I shocked.  Me and Razah were actually planning on filming this.  He texted me only about 12 hours before he was taken to the hospital, trying to set up the video shoot.  When I first went to see him, he was still in a coma in the hosptial, totally unconscious…Thankfully, when I went to see him recently, he was back home and in good spirits.  He was laughing, talking, blasting rap music; he was being Razah again.  Even though he’s still recovering, it’s really a celebration of life over there rather than a pity party.  Timbo King and I shot the majority of this video on our own.  We ran around the New York streets, wetting them up with posters, spreading the word of Heaven Razah in our man’s place.  It was some good energy.” – Underground rap legend R.A. The Rugged Man

iTunes: http://bit.ly/tlqaHH // Amazon: http://amzn.to/vOXQpg

Hip-Hop supervillain DOOM recently released a deluxe 10-piece vinyl box set chronicling his entire Special Herbs instrumental series (for sale here).  To celebrate, Nature Sounds and Raw Rolling Papers are launching a new contest, giving some lucky winners a heavy dose of herbs, plus some papers to roll them up.  Details below.

Contest Question: Name as many vocal songs as you can that use production from the Special Herbs box set, whether the song was recorded by DOOM or another artist.  List the title of the vocal song and the artist who recoreded it.  Whoever names the most songs by October 19th wins.

How To Enter: Email contest entries to contest@nature-sounds.net.

Prizes: The grand prize contains a Special Herbs vinyl box set, a Raw prize pack, and a Nature Sounds prize pack.  Check out what each contains to the right. In addition, five runner-ups will win a grab-bag of Raw rolling products, plus a download code giving digital access to the entire Special Herbs series.

Conditions: Must be 19 years of age or older to enter.

For complete prize pack info, visit http://nature-sounds.net/raw/.

Blu put together a lo-fi, head-nodding masterpiece for his first production album, with Sene, Fresh Daily, ScienZe, Versis, Tribe Of Levi, Chop, Aaron Smartz, and Blu himself laying vocals to Blu’s hazy production. Get it now in stores everywhere.
iTunes
Amazon,
UGHH,
Fat Beats, and
Nature Sounds

While the buzz around Blu has continued to grow, one aspect of the L.A. rapper’s artistry has been overlooked: he’s also becoming one of hip-hop’s best up-and-coming producers.  Since his early work with producers Exile, Ta’Raach, and Mainframe, Blu has turned to creating his own soundscapes, crafting the entire Her Favorite Colo(u)r project, as well as a handful of standout’s on the recently released Jesus.  Now, he’s putting his beats on full display, with the production album Open, to be released on September 27th, 2011 through New World Color / Nature Sounds.  Originally posted online as a Blu-produced instrumental set, Open has been transformed into a full-fledged production album.  Johnson Barnes and his gang of like-minded MCs laid vocals to every track, making this Open a brand new collection.

Featuring a slew of promising up-and-comers on the mic, Open is a perfect showcase for Blu’s hazy, lo-fi production.  Along with two show-stopping appearances from Blu himself, the album features buzzed-about MCs like Fresh Daily, ScienZe, and Sene, as well as newer names like Just Lee and Tribe of Levi.   All guests were hand-picked by Blu, so Open also showcases his ear for talent, turning hip-hop fans on to the next generation of rhyme-spitters.  But in the tradition of classic production albums like In Control Vol. 1 and Soul Survivor, the main focus here is on the beats, which showcase the distinct sound a talented young beat-maker has been creating.

Pre-Order Now: http://store.nature-sounds.net/store/products-page/featured/bluopen/

Timbo King takes it back to the schoolyard on the video for his new single “High Ranking,” featuring R.A. The Rugged Man and with production by Bronze Nazareth. Timbo King’s debut album From Babylon To Timbuk2 is now in stores everywhere.

iTunes: http://bit.ly/phHrpJ
Amazon: http://amzn.to/nUDIfw