If you know me, if you’ve been in my vehicle or been in my dorm room while I was in college, you’d know that my affinity for A.B. The Pro‘s music is probably unrivaled. I have a lot of confidence in this SE representer’s sound, and he’s my favorite artist on DC’s Studio 43 imprint. I felt like his mixtape he dropped back in ’09 was criminally slept on as far as production and the artists featured. You can tell that he cares a lot about putting DC on the map, and he without a doubt brought out the best in artists that otherwise may not have been able to convince you of their talent. In my eyes, “Stussy on My Back” with Young Marley could have been a local smash if the proper push was behind it (Stussy could have easily jumped on that joint and licensed it out and more money could have been made!), but 43 made the poor decision to push “W On The Fitted” instead, which was by far the worst joint on the entire tape. No offense to any of the artists on that track, but…that joint was so weak.  But hey. I’m not hear to chastise too much. That’s the past. We’re on to the future.

A.B. let me hold an early version of the mixtape to give him some feedback and criticism, and it’s so awesome to see that not only did he take it well, but he actually listened to the majority of what I said! Swapped some songs out, changed the tracklisting, and dropped a lot of freestyles over industry beats. In order to give you A.B. as an artist as opposed to just a producer, I feel like he needs to rap over his own $#!t. The one thing that I wished he did was to start the album with “Young Jimi Hendrix” (which is the first preview I’m gonna give you), or at least make that joint #2! It goes way too hard and kinda introduces you to what the entire album is gonna be like. Besides that, I don’t have too many gripes. The beats are mixed and mastered to thump in the vehicle or through your headphones, he has some club bangers that’ll make you raise an eyebrow and wonder why he doesn’t have stuff on the radio (or with bigger artists outside of DC, to be completely honest), and while he’s not exactly a rapper, you can’t be mad at his lyrics, cuz it’s all stuff people can relate to.

DC is proud of this, but I’m tryna make sure everybody beyond DC hears this product. Featuring a lot of untapped and under appreciated talent that you can read about on the back cover, this is a really good project that I’m proud to have been a fake-me-out A&R on, lol. Nah but really. Jam the previews, and then grab it below.

DOWNLOAD: A.B. The Pro – Crown Vic Music [Mixtape]

oh my lord. studio 43‘s A.B. the Producer has delivered with this one.

this among is the most enjoyable mixtapes i’ve jammed in a while. i didn’t say the most technical, or the most ingenious. A.B. is a producer first, but as a rapper/singer/whatever you wanna call it, he’s definitely entertaining and can make some catchy songs. agree or disagree, i don’t really care. i’m all about those craaaaaazy beats. that’s what i live for. and apparently, so does A.B. i remember after i heard his “charisma” last year, i was beyond impressed with his production skills, but to see such tremendous growth in such a short period makes me pretty excited to see what the future holds. from samples to original compositions, he rocks every single beat. i even think some of these joints should be held for some A-list talent (meaning world famous, not like the artists on the mixtape aren’t good. you know what i mean!) if you ask me.

i really dig how the DMV artists all support each other. virtually anybody who is anybody on the scene blesses the mixtape with a verse. literally. you name them, they’re probably on it. yes, that means wale is on the joint. but so are raheem devaughn, lyriciss, marky, pro’verb, mouse, X.O., ra the MC, and a slew of other emcees and singers. you gotta check the tracklisting after the jump to see who else blesses the mixtape.

A.B., this joint cranks. great work. everybody needs this in rotation right about now. i’m throwing up a couple samples, just in case all these words didn’t persuade you to download it yet.

*note: you need some nice speakers to jam these. trust me. at least have some bass at your disposal.*

DOWNLOAD: A.B. the Producer – Producer’s Credit [Mixtape]

tracklisting after this.

true story: quinn coleman (aka mr. DCtoBC that just lost all motivation to do anything DCtoBC related…call him out when you see him.) saw kenny burns riding around the city shining, in a chariot (i kid you not. a carriage with a horse pulling it) around the monument area, the day before inauguration. LOL. watch this joint, it’s trill.

my cousin hit me up about this ill documentary called CALL+RESPONSE, and i figured i’d put you all on, too. it exploits the thriving slavery industry in developing countries around the world, and chronicles the responses that various artists, from talib kweli to moby to natacha beningfield (and so many more) create. to quote the synopsis: “music is part of the movement against human slavery.” it’s a deep film. super scholar dr. cornel west narrates it all, connecting the music of the american slave fields to the popular music we listen to today, and offering this connection as a rallying cry for the modern abolitionist movement currently brewing. check the trailer below.

more about the film:

CALL+RESPONSE is a first of its kind feature documentary film that
reveals the world’s 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves
today than ever before in human history. CALL+RESPONSE goes deep
undercover where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of
Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in
2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks
combined.

Luminaries on the issue such as Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl
Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Nicholas Kristof, and many other
prominent political and cultural figures offer first hand account of
this 21st century trade. Performances from Grammy-winning and
critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold
War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting,
Switchfoot, members of Nickel Creek and Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers,
Rocco Deluca move this chilling information into inspiration for
stopping it.

it’s been playing for a few days in NYC at the tribeca cinemas, and it’ll keep rolling until december 14th. for showtimes and tickets, click here. for more information, hit up the official CALL+RESPONSE website.

speaking of cornel west, studio 43 head honcho kenny burns got a chance to chop it up with the man at the national black arts festival in the A a few days ago. outkast’s big boi also makes an appearance. CRUCIAL! footage below.

keri hilson is the sexiest woman in show business as of december 5th, 2008. good lord. and did i just see the woman from real housewives of atlanta? damn! how much money do you have to hang to be in that circle? that’s a real billionaire’s boys & girls club. i saw a report on the gilt groupe on TV once, apparently it’s like the most exclusive fashion circle of all time. invite only! i’ll give $1,000 to anybody who can prove to me that they are a member (besides you, kenny). try your luck by attempting to log in to the site here. i failed. miserably. 17 times.

UPDATE: i’m now a member, who is out of $1,000. ha. what up!

MORE KB! let’s get it. live from philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. and the home of everybody from the roots to musiq soulchild to freeway…and more. this episode is shorter than most, but it’s still potent. kenny, we need these joints to be like 15 minutes at LEAST! please!

TODAY IS THE DAY! you voted, now tune into GW radio to hear what DC has to say about it all! PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD…

***FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE***

This Tuesday, November 4th, 2008, WRGW Radio (the official campus radio station of The George Washington University in Washington, DC) and the Funkadelic Freestyles Radio Show present two (2) HUGE election night events that can be heard anywhere in the world:

Che Grand Live In-Studio
Everything’s Good Ugly Album Premiere
Hosted by jben.ok
"A live radio premiere of the long-awaited album release from Brooklyn emcee and Lessondary (Tanya Morgan, Elucid, Spec Boogie) member Che Grand ."
7-8pm EST
LIVE on GWRADIO.COM
Presented by Funkadelic Freestyles x ThatRealIsh

The Political Report: DC/MD/VA’s Biggest Stars on Election Night
Featuring Tabi Bonney, Judah, Marky, RAtheMC, AB The Producer, Panacea, X.O., Southeast Slim, Tre of UCB, Best Kept Secret, R.E.U.B., EMP, D.Omen, Lyriciss, Nando., The Package, Pro’Verb, and many more ALL IN-STUDIO!
Hosted by jben.ok and The Lifestyle Specialist Kenny Burns
"Election night updates, political freestyles, and artist interviews live in-studio on election night with t-shirt and hat giveaways all night"
8pm-Midnight EST
LIVE on GWRADIO.COM
Presented by Funkadelic Freestyles x DCtoBC.com x KNOWxONE x start.of.the.line x Studio 43 x illRoots x Strange Music x GOADOME TALK

Kick back after a long day at the polls with GWRADIO.COM on your computer and CNN (on mute) on your TV.

huge shout out to my man jamie for putting all of this together. check the GW sophomore out at funkadelic freestyles .

better late than never. could be the best episode yet, too. and he leaves detroit in the first like 10 seconds. LOL. featuring asher roth, ludacris, robin thicke, laurie ann gibson (choreographer, probably most famous for her work on diddy’s making the band, and a slew of fly ladies.

the realist $#!t he’s ever wrote. it’s like his version of bun b’s "the story."

DL: wale – i will (feat. xscape)

BONUS: bun b – the story

what up, KB. in the end, there’s a OG preaaaching out there in the chi! oh boy.