New Homework #60 - Little Brother Reflips

Thanks to everyone who came out to Beat Cypher 9 last thursday, we were joined by Eric Lau, Beat Butcha, Metabeats and Louisden's own Jeekay who tore the house down!!, we'll be returning in June with more beat cypher action so stay tuned for news of that (and the footage/dvd...give us time!)

Now, back to the beat battles. It's been a while since we last had one, mostly down to the release of Behind Closed Doors volume 2 and getting the beat cypher geared up for 2010. But we're back with more challenges, starting with this one (if you hadn't realised, the league is now closed, we are on challenges until the 2010 league begins).


Homework 60 - "Little Brother Reflips"




Last week (as well as the unfortunate passing of Guru from Gangstarr :(, RIP!) saw the release of Little Brother's album "Left Back". Their final set contains beats from Khrysis, Denaun Porter, S1, Caleb and more. To mark Phonte and Big Pooh bowing out, we figured why not re-visit some of the samples used by their various producers over the years?



RULES

Dig out a Little Brother sample used in any of their songs over the course of their career (these are LB releases only, not solo projects), standard Louis' Den rules apply, synths are OK, sample must form main part of your beat.



DEADLINE

Sunday 2nd May 2010, submit beats to homework@louisden.com (please email the beats directly, links make the beat collection process a bit tricky so avoid it if possible)....so thats EMAIL to homework@louisden.com no forum PM no myspace message...EMAIL!!.

LINKS/RESOURCES

Google is your friend!, but heres some starting places, although we hate to sample snitch..check the text file - http://www.sendspace.com/file/t4mqvr

and remember you've got the mixtapes "And Justus For All" and the "Gangsta Grillz" releases to dig up samples from if you know them!.


get to it...we're back!.

Beat Cypher 09 - DONE!

* PHOTOS BY PROVERBS of COMABEAT

Man its getting harder and harder to rank the cyphers..the standard is just soooooooo dope.

METABEATS
I knew dude was sick but I didnt know he could drop em like he did; had the whole future soul sound on lock; we had been the in the lab with the rest of eatgood makin new ish and he deffo saved his sneakiest treats for the cypher...SALUTE!.

JEEKAY
Prolly be prepared the most out (incorrectly) thinking he needs to keep up with the big boys but dammmmn he tore it down synth ish, he played across the board with soulful played ish right down to red eye death bangers..stoopid.

BEAT BUTCHA
Standardly dope mixes were on point big booming sound wasn't disappointed in the slightest..all that rugged ish the kids love, a lotta synth action too, Butcha got that heat!!, shame his sample flipped beat got lost in a HD crash but butcha was on point all night.

ERIC LAU
"Eric lau it" as pete kept saying (picked up in the audio haha you are crazy P), Eric came with it..head crack all night; considering he didn't know what to expect he definately did his thing!! superb beats all night.

wowowow gassed at the standard

Aite so props to everyone who came down, Phonics, Shears, Sivey, Jaisu, Arch, Mozart, Raul, Figz, Myke Forte, Dean from 12 Original Players, Dockmini, Kelz, Eyebs, Percy Filth.

and Crizzle / the eatgood fam for holding down runnings Beard, Taharka and Kate holdin down the door for most the night (eek...)

Everyone who repped in the open beats/battle and all the new faces Thomas, Kilawatt, Gifted Music, Proverbs, Soweto Kinch, Vice.

If you missed out...shame on you..DONT SLEEP! WE BACK JUNE.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

Beat Cypher 09 Spotlight - Eric Lau

Ok so despite the beat cypher being done, we still had one more spotlight blog to post, Meta's didnt arrive but Eric's was left so here go!.



1) Hey!!, please introduce yourself to everybody; let us know who you are what you do and how long you've been doing it!.
I'm Eric Lau, im a producer and i make music from a hip hop perspective regardless of genre. Been producing for around 7-8 years.

2) Was there a defining moment (event / hearing a record etc) that led you into making beats / becoming a producer?.
Yes! My friend lending Hip Hop Ejay to me when I was at Uni! Premier/Pete Rock made me want to become a beat maker. Dilla made me want to become a producer.

3) What was your first peice of equipment and what were those beats like?, any interesting stories about things were doing to begin with / finding your feet?
First equipment was a standard PC with Hip Hop Ejay and a plastic microphone. Beats were kinda jiggy and a lot more commercial sounding.

4) Whats the one bit of advice youd give to anyone starting out today?
Have fun with it!

5) What can heads expect from you at LOUIS DEN BEAT CYPHER?
Me basically! I havent had many hip hop releases recently so expect to hear some harder stuff.

FYI..eric SMACKED IT!!..footage coming soon.

LINKS

Guilty Simpson - For The D (prod Eric Lau) - FIRE!

Follow @EricLauMusic on Twitter

Eric Lau on Myspace

RIP Guru of Gangstarr

DJ Premier (L) and Guru (R) - Gangstarr

Fat shout to Guru of Gangstarr who unfortunately passed away on Monday from Cancer, he had been previously in bad health following a publized coma earlier in March (with reports of a partial recovery early April) but the news of his death still comes as a shock.

Guru formed one half of the legendary duo "Gangstarr" along with DJ Premier on cuts/production; they dropped nothing but classic LP's through duration of the 90's, following their last full set "Ownerz" (2003) if you ignore the contract fulfilling best of "Mass Appeal" (2007); Guru went on to seek outside production releasing another 2 solo albums and followups to his "Jazzmatazz" series which fused elements of hiphop/jazz.

If you are unfamiliar with the music of Gangstarr; then its never too late!! go do some homework and hunt down the classics, I expect Cro to spin some niceness at tomorrows cypher!

Thank you for the music!

LOUISDEN SALUTE!
REST IN PEACE!

Beat Cypher 09 Spotlight - Beat Butcha

Next up we've got Beat Butcha!, formerly based in the UK and now living in the Netherlands; I've been hearing butchas blaps for quite a few years now from his earlier material with UK group Paragon, right up to his international placements of the current day..proof that hard work produces results!! check the quick spotlight and free links at the end!.

1) Hey!!, please introduce yourself to everybody; let us know who you are what you do and how long you've been doing it!.
The names Beat Butcha, uk producer based in the netherlands, been making beats for about 11-12 years, seriously (release wise) for about 5-6 years. Have worked & released music with alot of ppl, UKwise: Jehst, Klashnekoff, Roots Manuva, Stig, Plan B, Ghetts, Wretch 32, Scorcher, just to name a few, USwise: Havoc (mobb deep), Sean Price (bootcamp), Red Cafe, Sha Stimuli, Infamous Mobb, Immortal Technique, Agallah and had more placements coming which I dont want to disclose incase the demos dont get finished...

2) Was there a defining moment (event / hearing a record etc) that led you into making beats / becoming a producer?.
I always liked rhythm & beats, I got into djing around the same time that I started making beats so it was a natural progression, theres no defining moment, I just decided to try it out one day on my shitty computer.

3) What was your first peice of equipment and what were those beats like?, any interesting stories about things were doing to begin with / finding your feet?
First equip was my first computer in 98 which cost about 200 quid and it was shit, I used Cool Edit 96 lmao, I eventually saved up for a mpc2000 and my first beats werent actually too bad they were way too quantized and too lofi quality wise but i had good samples and i knew the quantizing was a problem so I soon fixed that. I produced by first vocal track after about a year which eventually came out, obviously Im alot better now lol.

4) Whats the one bit of advice youd give to anyone starting out today?
Creatively, get ur skill levels up and stay creative, try and be unique in some way, try and be as musical as u can be.
Business wise this is one of the hardest grinds u can imagine, there's nothing simple about it, so think very carefully if u want to make this a career. Don't think you're gunna make any decent long term money just selling the beats u make, even to ur american idols, coz the majority of them aint paying decently, u have to have fingers in lots of pies.
Trust me I know, the real money is the trades (self employed electricians & plumbers)

5) What can heads expect from you at LOUIS DEN BEAT CYPHER?
Ill be wearing a disguise, so rappers wont reckognize me lmao....
Im bringin exclusive jawns u prolly aint heard from me before, some of which are beats from forthcoming placements with some of the US artists im working with.

LINKS

Kill Em With The Flow (instrumental) - Butcha produced Banger for the emcee Skandal

Lil Eto & Jai Black - Captial Murda (prod V Don, Beat Butcha on live guitar & bass!)

Follow @BeatButcha on Twitter

Beat Butcha on Myspace

Beat Butcha on Soundclick (plenty of instros here to cop!)

Beat Cypher 09 Spotlight - Jeekay

Okay so I just posted the beat cypher info below just in case you didn't know (it has been on the right hand side for the last month or so but hey!).

So yeah continuing the beat cypher tradition we've got another set of Beat Cypher Spotlight blogs which profile each of the producers that'll be taking part in the showcase.


First up is youngest in charge Jeekay who was introduced to the ldbb fold via Jon Phonics waaay back in our 2008 league; since then he's been killing the weekly challenges and 2009 league contributing flamers week in week out!!, he chops it up below.

1)Hey!!, please introduce yourself to everybody; let us know who you are what you do and how long you've been doing it!.
Easy folks, i'm Jeekay, i'm 20 years old and I live in London. I've
been making beats for just over three years and i've been involved
with the Louisden family for about two!

2) Was there a defining moment (event / hearing a record etc) that led you into making beats / becoming a producer?.
I remember hearing 'Defeat' by Afu Ra whilst watching a skate video
when I was about 15 and being absolutely mesmerized, to the point
where I was rewinding the tape over and over again just to hear the
beat. That was the moment that sparked my interest in Hip Hop, which
in turn made me want me to get a set of turntables. I lost interest in
dj'ing when I was about 17, but by this time i'd familiarized myself
with guys like Pete Rock and Preemo and I decided it was time to start
making beats myself.

3) What was your first peice of equipment and what were those beats like?, any interesting stories about things were doing to begin with / finding your feet?
I started out on a demo version of Fruity Loops on my parent's PC in
their spare room. My dad bought a turntable with the intention of
recording his LPs to MP3, but I started using it to record records
into FL and eventually I bought my own PC and set up a makeshift
studio in my room with the help of an old hi-fi my mum's friend gave
me! I got alot of helpful feedback from Jon Phonics when I first
started out and I used to burn new beats to CD and play them in a
friend of mine's car during breaks at school. I'd always try to make
the next CD better than the last which really helped me develop my
sound.

4) Whats the one bit of advice youd give to anyone starting out today?
It's been said a million times, but just do you. Whether you feel like
making something with someone like Styles P in mind or if you prefer
making beats that sound like they'd work on an Omarion album, don't
hesitate to experiment. I have weeks where all I want to do is make
smooth stuff, but then the next week I feel inspired to make something
a bit tougher and I find it's best to just go with the flow.

5) What can heads expect from you at LOUIS DEN BEAT CYPHER?
Hopefully a few decent beats, played by someone who looks like he'd
probably fit in more comfortably at a wine bar than a beat cypher.

LINKS

Jeekay - Cheeky Bits (2010) - Compilation of beats and a remix

Hit up Jeekay on Myspace

Louis Den Beat Cypher THIS THURSDAY!

It's been a while since the last beat cypher with GHOSTTOWN, WIZARD, CHEMO and BUDGIE...December '09 to be exact, but after a short break we're back for our run of events for 2010 starting with 22nd April!!.

ON THE BOARDS This time round we've got some smashers onboard for the beat cypher which'll be set to be nothing but a night of killer blaps!!.

ERIC LAU - Having released a few projects including an EP with DUDLEY PERKINS , a solo LP on Ubquity and more, Eric is one to watch with constant name checks from the likes of BENJI B and GILES PETERSON as well as production work for ODDISEE, GUILTY SIMPSON, LUPE FIASCO and more!! he's bound to tear the beat cypher up with soulful headnodders and screwface BANGERS!.

BEAT BUTCHA - A staple on the UK cricuit for a few years and now based in the Netherlands, Butcha has becoming more of a target across the waters with production landed for HAVOC of MOBB DEEP, SEAN PRICE, LIL ETO as well as placements over these shores with TERRA FIRMA, KLASHNEKOFF, JEHST, GHETTO, SONNYJIM, MICALL PARKNSUN and more!...get your screwfaces ready!.

METABEATS - Got heads ringing with is debut LP METAPHYSICAL which dropped back in '07, since then he's produced joints for his label mates at ASSOCIATED MINDS, currently he's getting to release the SLEDGEHAMMER KISSES LP with MUDMOUF as well as being busy with other production work and international DJ spots!.

Finally, reppin for LOUSDEN we've got the underdog with the IMMENSE sound....JEEKAY!!, having been down with the LOUISDEN movement since our 2008 league and constantly showing his face (travelling from london to boot!!) we've given the last slot to JEEKAY, currently honing his craft he's putting the finishing touches to a beat tape release with his production camp ILL RHYTHMIKZ (producers JON PHONICS, JJ MALONE), he's been a face of many a bucks fizz beat battle and open beats so we know Jeekz has no problem hanging with big dogs!.

ON THE MIC We've got the legend that is JEHST aka BILLY BRIMSTONE aka THE DRIFTER, you know the name you know the projects over the years and now he's blessing brum again (his first time since our first beat cypher back in OCT '08) to take to the mic in emcee form, he's already blessed us with bangers back in the first cypher and now we'll get a taste of some brand new material (and hopefully a sneak peep of the upcoming DRAGON OF AN ORDINARY FAMILY album dropping this year on YNR)

Joining Jehst will be a mashup of artists from the dope Cardiff based label ASSOCIATED MINDS, with their in house producer METABEATS taking part in the showcase we figured we'd get a couple heads from the camp to bless us with bars also..but they've done one better and are bringing most of the squad with them!!! expect nothing but madness fromsome the emcess on the label (RALPH RIP SHIT, RUFFSTYLZ, SKAMMA) as well as some beatbox action from the legend that is BEATBOX FOZZY.

OPEN BEATS / BEAT BATTLE / DJ CRO we've got the usual OPEN BEATS where producers of all levels are encouraged to bring some material to test the crowd reaction (3 beats max) and those feeling like they want to take something home can compete in the legendary BUCKS FIZZ BEAT BATTLE where names dawn out of a hat can compete for a bottle of bubbly and bragging rites as the Louis Den Bucks Fizz Beat Battle Winner!!...finally it wouldn't be a beat cypher with our very own DJ CRO providing the backdrop of hip-hop beats, breaks and treats inbetween the nights action.

*ARRIVE EARLY TO SIGN UP FOR OPEN BEATS, ONLY 3 BEATS MAX PER PRODUCER AND WE MAY HAVE TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER IF THERES A HUGE AMOUNT OF SIGN UPS (prefence is given to newer names)

* NO MP3 PLAYERS/PHONES/ DATA CD's FOR OPEN BEATS/BATTLE, sorry but its an ache to get all this sorted and the cables/pc's are for the showcased producers only...bring an audio CD or most likely its not happening!!.

Ok Now you know all the details we'll see you there!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Den BeatCypher 09
Live Hiphop Production Showcase & Beat Jam
ERIC LAU | BEAT BUTCHA | METABEATS | JEEKAY
JEHST | ASSOCIATED MINDS (ruffstylz / ralph rip shit / skamma / beatbox fozzy)
+open beats/beat battle/DJ CRO


22nd April 2010
Downstairs @Plug Digbeth
79 Digbeth High St
Birmingham
B5 6DY
9PM - LATE
£4.00 ENTRY BEFORE 10PM £5.00 AFTER
------------------------------------------------------------------
Louis Den Beat Cypher is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Myke Forte - Taurus Beat Tape

Myke is another LDBB head whose been busy in the lab as a few weeks back he dropped the "Taurus" beat tape; the next one in line from his Zodiak series for those unfamilar with his beat tape concept..peep game in Mykes own words.

Anyone for Horoscopes? One day i had an idea for an album, which was to explain in lyrical content what traits each star sign had, but i decided that it was too much work so i thought i would express it through music (Instrumentals). With one of these Beast Tapes already complete here is the next instalment... "Taurus" hope you like this one, was quite trick for this star sign i dont know why maybe cause its not my own, or i just dont know much people who's bithday is around this time of the year. Anyway here it is with "Gemini" to Follow.

Peace.


If you slept on Aries you can pick it up here from when we blogged it on louisden.com


Heres the Taurus joint!!.




01 Layers (Beautiful)
02 Everyword (Loyal)
03 Soulful (Loving)
04 Suspectpackage (Jealousy)
05 Madman Pon Campus (Redeyes)
06 Liveit (Determined)
07 Horns Move (Direction)
08 Hustle (Finnaciality)
09 Fast Money (Wealth)
10 100pennies (Greedylishous)
11 Fruits (Colourful)
12 Talormade (Elegantism)
13 Cosmicpalm (Self-Indulge)
14 Colouredwater (Brightlights)
15 Royal Roses (VenusTrap)
16 Acidsoul (Sensual)
17 Taurus (Quirky)

DOWNLOAD:http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T53YUYX7




Props to Myke and keep up the hardwork!

Hit up Myke on Myspace

Follow @MykeForte on twitter

Check his latest blaps over at SoundCloud

Wizard - Chill Pill Instrumentals

Wizard is a busy dude, constantly dropping snippet tapes of fresh beats and blessing the net with free releases; he not long ago dropped yet another free project entitled "Chill Pill" which is an album length compilation of smoothed out head nodding insturmentals, perfect to kick back with and zone out to.

Some joints are brand new and some have been laced by artists, some are sneaky league joints haha!! ALL fire tho..so peep game!.


Wizard - Chill Pill [2010]

01. Call My Name
02. Got It On Lock
03. Rhodes
04. What Now
05. Your Name?
06. Cold City
07. Whole
08. No More
09. You Never Left
10. Good With Those
11. Zone-D
12. Sea Breeze (Do It)
13. I Remember
14. Isaac
15. Swerve That
16. Green
17. AndOne
18. Leave With Me
19. Without Love

DOWNLOAD:http://usershare.net/lo00de4sjj6p



Also if you never got a chance to peep the "Massage Parlour" music beat tape (which featured far eastern samples...be sure to scoop that too, Wizard stays workin; its hard to keep up with dudes work ethic!!


Wizard - Massage Parlour Music[2009]

01. Relax
02. Shank
03. Noodle Crack
04. Sakura
05. The Chase
06. Crazy Village
07. Wilding
08. Chicken & Rice
09. Hey!
10. Master
11. Tradition
12. Swinging Swords
13. Crab Technique
14. Final Boss
15. Rum Music (Bonus Beat)
16. Why (Bonus Beat)

DOWNLOAD:http://sharebee.com/7c21b807

Holla @ Wizard on MySpace

Follow @WizardBeats on Twitter

Jon Phonics - Half Past Calm 2 Trailer & Goodies

LDBB Resident Jon Phonics is putting the final touches to his sophmore release "Half Past Calm 2", If you've been following the league blaps from Jon you'll know he's got a lot of fire in the vaults and with guest features from the likes of M9, Jehst, Obba Supa, Cyrus Malachi, Verb T, Kashmere, Micall Parknsun, ME (yerrrr gettin my raaap on), Ramson Badbones & more its gonna be one this years key releases no doubt!.

Word form Jon is that they'll be 300 physical copies available to compliment the free download so be sure to scoop one up (Half Past Calm #1 received limited pressings and got CLAPPED pretty much straight away so no sleepy!).

Half Past Calm 2 Trailer



Oh and as a bonus be sure to check out his promo mix of 80's funk/soul and boogie entitled Clean Your Cot Darn Room, I've bumped it a couple times and it serves as the ultimate "Get Sh*t" done mix of 2010...got washing up to do?, housework?, organizing beat files??, months of blogging?? pop it on and watch your productivity skyrocket!! (mix done whilst Phonics was actually cleaning up so he's there in spirit with you)

POP POP...links below..oh and if for some reason you've been on another planet and still need an introudction, 1) welcome to earth and 2) cop a free download of HALF PAST CALM #1 to get you in the mood for what phonics is cooking up for us, and 3) cop the very dope free DL of Jonathans Bits and Pieces an instrumental beattape joint he dropped at the end of 2009.

LINKS

Jon Phonics @ Bandcamp

Jon Phonics Twitter

Jon Phonics @ Soundcloud

Jon Phonics @ MYspace

Super Blog Update Coming!

Yes yes yawl, theres a lot to catch up on blog wise and we've kinda been out of the loop! but hopefully the next few entries will explain why and get us all up to date.

STAND BY!, im goin in.

.kos