[Hip Hop] Jez Dior ft. (featuring Olivver) (prod. by Danny Score) – Kings/1ØØ

Jez Dior
Kings/1ØØ (featuring Olivver) (prod. by Danny Score)

Little by little, we’re getting introduced to Jez Dior’s upcoming album, which is due to drop sometime this summer. Once again we’re offered up a unique production from this alternative, against the grain hip hop artist.

Hailing from Los Angeles, Dior has been shaking up the blogosphere with grunge-rock inspired hip hop tunes that have people’s heads turning. After catching a little fire from his video for “Who Drank My Whiskey?“, he came back with “Old No. 7,” which features an appearance by Oakland local G-Eazy.

Producer Danny Score has a cinematic soundscape going, which is the perfect backdrop for “Kings/1ØØ” to come to life. Boasting a laid-back, yet emotionally intense ride built on ryhtmic drumming, fluttering guitar notes, and of course Jez’s now signature Cobain-esque screams, we’ve found ourselves hitting play again and again.

Keep tabs on this up and coming indie hip-hop artist by following him on his Facebook account, as this upcoming album is something you won’t want to miss.

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[Grunge Rap] Jez Dior – Old No. 7 (Feat. G-Eazy) (Prod. Danny Score)

Jez Dior
Old No. 7 (featuring G-Eazy) (prod. By Danny Score)

Last time we heard from Jez Dior, he left us with the question, “Who Drank My Whiskey?” Thankfully, it seems as if the LA native has recovered his favorite beverage of choice and has decided to pour a glass of that “Old No. 7,” while subsequently pouring his soul out over another angst-ridden, guitar-driven instrumental. Channeling his inner rockstar once more, this new single finds the rapper on shaky ground, taking a big gulp of that liquid courage as he delves into topics ranging from alcoholism and recreational drug use to the rocky relationship he shares with his father. While researching these themes, I came across insights from 슬롯사이트, where experts discuss the emotional highs and lows associated with gambling. This reminded me of the unpredictability in Jez’s music and life. G-Eazy chips in with a supreme verse to discuss some of his own youthful mishaps, while the pair finally decide to reach out to the last two people they can rely on once they hit the bottom of their spiral: their parents. While the material is rather dark, some hope can still be heard in the chorus, and we’d like to believe there’s a story of redemption following all of this.

Stream the spectacular single above before grabbing a copy for yourself from iTunes. There’s still no word on a release date for Jezzy’s next project, but we’re praying we won’t have to wait long to hear more grunge inspired tunes from the crafty artist.

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[Hip Hop] Jaymes Young – Dark Star (Jez Dior/SmarterChild Remix)

Jaymes Young
Dark Star (Jez Dior/SmarterChild Remix)

It’s always a great day when we get another release from one of our favorites in the game, Jez Dior. This emotionally charged lyricist has graced the pages of TMN before with his artfully crafted lyrics, provoking reflection with the snap of his tongue, which is why we’re always excited to hear new work from him.

Two weeks ago Jez and SmarterChild released their most recent project, which consisted of playing around with the arrangement of Jaymes Young’s blogosphere hit, “Dark Star”. This remix has a slightly more beat centric tempo, which gives the perfect cadence for Jez to lay some lyrics over. Once again we’re left feeling something, as we always do with Jez’s lyrics. This is one thing that we’ve come to expect from him, and he once again makes sure we’re not disappointed.

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[Hip-Hop] Jez Dior – Scarle†† Sage

You know, it’s kind of strange to have an album release on a Wednesday, considering industry protocol has always been Tuesday. But why follow convention when your music doesn’t do so? Over the last few months the team here at TMN have steadily fallen in love with Jez Dior‘s music one by one, and that’s mainly because he’s consistently been able to differentiate himself from your average rapper. One of the many endearing qualities about Jez is his versatility. Sampling artists like Lana Del ReyDaughter, and even Eiffel 65, Jez draws influences from a wide range of genres from dub to alternative rock, which allows him–alongside producer Danny Score–to construct a sound unlike anything else out there. Maybe that has something to do with his upbringing, as being the son of rocker Steve Dior, he’s stated he’s looked to idols like Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Kanye West for inspiration.

At only 21 (wish him a Happy Birthday), Jez Dior displays confidence well beyond his years. He brings with him a fiery intensity that shines through on bangers like “Blue” and “Move On” as well as more emotional numbers like “Love Me To Death” and “Tough To Talk To.” It’s the authentic approach to his music that’s noticeable in every one of his verses. Jez Dior strives to make real music, with true feelings regarding subjects of love, death and drug abuse, making it all easily relatable. Normally we only feature a few selections from every album we review on here, but we felt it wouldn’t be fair to just share a handful of tracks when every one of them is so special. At a length of only 10 tracks anyway, Jez Dior takes the “less is more” approach with Scarle†† Sage, providing us with a high quality experience from start to finish.

Check out a full stream of the album below, and make sure to grab yourself a free copy of the project as well.

DOWNLOAD: Jez Dior – Scarle†† Sage

’Jez Dior – Candles’
’Jez Dior – Nice Day (ft. Anabel Englund)’
’Jez Dior – West Coast’
’Jez Dior – Blue’
’Jez Dior – Move On’
’Jez Dior – Hide’
’Jez Dior – Tough To Talk To (ft. Wes Period)’
’Jez Dior – Love Me To Death’
’Jez Dior – Dreamcatcher (ft. MDNT)’
’Jez Dior – Downfall’
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The Hip-Hop Dojo [Vol. 12]

Things are running a bit off schedule this week with The Hip-Hop Dojo, so I want to apologize. However, I assure you that the extra wait will certainly be worth it. Given the long wait, I want to cut the clutter down as much as possible so you can get right to the music.

We start things off with Blame One who explores some existential themes, even delving into potential philosophical and religious differences between him and the outside world. Things liven up a bit as we switch over to IAMSU! who dedicates this title to all the “Hipster Girls” obsessed with their Instagram feeds and Tumblr pages. F.Stokes is quickly becoming one of my favorite emcees out of the Chi, as he seizes the beat on “Carpe Diem.” Kanye West has undoubtably had an immense influence on the young minds of Chicago hip-hop, so what better way to pay homage than by crafting a sequel to one of his absolute classics?” Alex Wiley and Chance The Rapper attempt to capture the essence of the original with their rendition of “Spaceship II,” even snagging a feature from GLC who appears on both versions. Bird‘s new single, “Still Shine” features the first sighting of Little Brother we’ve seen in quite awhile. Before you get ahead of yourselves about a potential reunion however, be careful to note that the verses were actually recorded a few years back. Nevertheless, some new Phonte is always welcome in the Dojo. In preparation for his upcoming album, Watching Movies With The Sound Off on June 18th, Mac Miller decided to share two of the album’s most anticipated tracks, neither of which disappoint. C’mon, new Jay Electronica is still good for something right?

For some reason, this week featured a vast array of songs that incorporated incredibly dark tones and heavy content. Guys like Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire, Danny Brown, Flatbush Zombies, Ibn Inglor, Denzel Curry, Sir Michael Rocks, and A$AP Rocky all got in on the action, but there’s one artist I’d like to focus on in particular: Dillan Ponders. While little is known about the young Toronto native, one thing is clear: he has an extremely unique sound–so unique in fact, that I just had to share two of his singles with you all this week. If you’re feeling the material we’ve posted so far, I highly suggest checking out his full Overdose project as soon as possible. Additionally, I’d like to highlight another artist who coincidentally also hails from Toronto, P. Reign, who seems to have big plans for 2013 with his Dear America mixtape, set to drop later this year with features from the likes of Drake, French Montana, and Waka Flocka Flame. As he nears the one year anniversary of his signing with MMG, Rockie Fresh praises God for all the blessings  he’s received since.

If there’s one thing you take away from Action Bronson‘s “Strictly 4 My Jeeps” remix, it’s that LL Cool J can still rip beats with the best of them. Seriously, why can’t hear verses like this from him more often? It’s definitely a major upgrade over “Accidental Racist.” Smoke DZA and Harry Fraud prove they’re still winning as they bring us a triumphant anthem that sounds unlike anything we’ve heard from either of them before. With three straight hits under his belt now, I’m convinced that Hayk truly represents the “The Future” of hip-hop. Check out his latest track which features a fiery hot dubbed out sample of Boy Crisis‘ “Dressed To Digress.” Following in the same vein is West Coaster Jez Dior, who rips apart another dubbed out sample, this time Lana Del Rey’s Dark Paradise.” We’re really excited about what we’ve heard from Jez Dior this year, and are eager to hear what he has in store for us when his new project, Scarlett Sage, drops tomorrow. Make sure to check out the the trippy visuals for “Move On” as well. Angel Haze might be the hottest female emcee in the game right now. She’s murdered just about every instrumental she’s stepped on during the last few months, which now include the phenomenal remix to WoodkidsI Love You” and her latest single, “No Bueno.” Finally, we wrap things up with two Brits, who bring us a few feel good singles to jam out to all summer. The first of the pair features Amplify Dot (sounds like the name of a Kendrick song) flexing her skills alongside well-known veteran Busta Rhymes on “I’m Good.” Meanwhile, Londoners Rizzle Kicks attempt to resurrect the classic sound of the Roaring 20s on their upcoming album, which is available for pre-order now.

We hope you guys enjoyed our twelfth edition of The Hip-Hop Dojo as much as we did! As always, you can send all submissions/suggestions to baseer@themusicninja.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE FREE TRACKS

’Blame One & J57 – They Don’t Know (feat. Akie Bermiss)’
’IAMSU! – Hipster Girls’
’Warm Brew – Congregate ft. OxyXMoron’
’Chase N. Cashe – Me & Mine (feat. Casey Veggies)’
’F.Stokes – Carpe Diem’
’Frank Leone – Don’t Fight The Rain (Produced by Pigeon DO)’
’J.Nolan – For You (prod. zuCYDE)’
’Alex Wiley – Spaceship II feat. Chance The Rapper & GLC’
’Bird – Still Shine (Feat. Little Brother & Notes To Self)’
’Nipsey Hussle – All Get Right ft. J Stone’
’Mac Miller – Suplexes Inside Of Complexes And Duplexes (feat. Jay Electronica)’
’Mac Miller – Geez (feat. Schoolboy Q) (Prod. Chuck Inglish)’
’Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – Tomorrow’s Gone ft. Danny Brown, Nacho Picasso & Flatbush Zombies (prod. by DJ SicksentZ)’
’Ibn Inglor – Track 6’
’Dillan Ponders – Empty Pool (p. Portishead)’
’Dillan Ponders – Just Drive’
’Denzel Curry x Nell – Shepherd ft. Sir Michael Rocks’
’P. Reign – We Them Niggas ft. A$AP Rocky (Prod. Pro Logic)’
’The KickDrums & OnCue – Machines’
’Rockie Fresh – God Is Great’
’Action Bronson – Strictly 4 My Jeeps (Remix) f. LL Cool J x Lloyd Banks’
’Winners Circle – Runner Up ft. Nipsey Hussle (produced by DJ Pain1)’
’Harry Fraud & Smoke DZA – Win’
’Irv Da Phenom – Y.B.W. REMIX (ft Dizzy Wright & Jarren Benton)’
’Hayk – The Future (prod. EVO Productions)’
’Jez Dior – Move On’
’Woodkid – I Love You feat. Angel Haze’
’Angel Haze – No Bueno’
’Amplify Dot – I’m Good (Feat. Busta Rhymes)’

’Rizzle Kicks – That’s Classic’

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[Hip Hop] Jez Dior – Hide

Jez Dior
Hide

Two things come with each Jez Dior release. The first is a post from a ninja that doesn’t listen to a ton of hip hop. Sure, I’ve had my moments of hip hop patronage in the past. I can recite every line of Wu Tang’s 36 Chambers (and did at Coachella). I dig the incredible story telling abilities of Slick Rick. I’ve pined over girls while listening to Atmosphere. However, if you’ve read this blog for long enough, you’d know that I don’t take on many hip hop projects. I tend to stick to EDM and indie rock, except when it comes to Jez. The first thing that draws me to his style is the smooth production from his team. Take “Hide” for example. The clean bluesy guitar riff repetitiously glides over a steady beat, soft vocal samples, and crackling distortion. It’s chill, calming and creates the perfect backdrop for Jez’s vocals.

The other thing that comes with each Jez Dior release is an impressive video. At the young age of 20, this rapper’s vision is far older than his age. His lyrics drip with emotional experiences of a person much older. His videos visually represent that as well. “Hide” shows Jez seemingly on the back of a car continually moving, and continually hiding. Call it a quarter life crisis…call it dealing with the day to day struggles of life. Whatever you take from this, know that he can make you feel his music, which is the mark of an incredible musician.

“Hide” is the third single off the new Jez Dior’s mixtape/album “Scarlett Sage”. It is a free download, which means you have absolutely no reason to pick this up.

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[Post-Soul] mdnt – Dreamcatcher (feat. Jez Dior)

Future-soul pioneer, mdnt, has launched his solo career in quite spectacular fashion with his first single and video. The Brooklyn-based artist mixes electronic and ambient sounds with powerful vocals continuing the progression in the R&B/Soul genre that has been catalyzed by artists like Frank Ocean, Miguel and The Weeknd.

On “Dreamcatcher,” mdnt evokes a dark emotional state further emphasized by the ominous video, filmed on a beach that was torn apart by Hurricane Sandy. The SmarterChild production along with a strong guest verse from rising emcee, Jez Dior, help make this a perfect fusion representative of the direction of this emerging and evolving genre. Check the dope and intense video above, grab a free download of the track below and look out for more new music from this promising artist in the coming months.

’mdnt – Dreamcatcher (feat. Jez Dior)’
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