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Dillon Chase and Anatome may be new to most, or perhaps you are a fan of Dillon’s and have heard his albums in the last few years. Both are about to release an album called Beautiful Art and this is the title project. If you are a fan of TheBREAX, you will like the rhymes and messages that Dillon Chase provides to his fans, and Anatome’s production? Top notch.
TheBREAX have morphed into one of the best independent hip-hop groups of the last 10 years, although if you’re to follow the popular word, independent hip-hop isn’t worthy unless it’s endorsed by Jay-Z or is dissed by Kanye West. The proof of the pepper can be heard in the group’s brand new album, Never Arrive.
This is an accumulation of what they’ve done over the years. It’s not a retrospective, all of the songs are brand new, but the group have done different things on their last few projects. A few may have complained about them steering away from their spiritual side in their music, but if one was to take a listen, it was never left behind. The songs refer to everything from internal and external strength, pride and respect for everything in life, but also touches on some of the struggles each of them have gone through in order to get to where they’re at today. There are a number of special guests on the album, adding soulful vocals that may be able to get them a bit of accessibility, specifically for those who may have never heard of them over the years. On the album, there’s also a great balance between strong lyrics and great production, to where these songs could easily outdo a lot of songs calling itself “hits”, in fact, if this was on a major label, TheBREAX could be one of the hottest groups out there today.
Never Arrive may be a not-so-thin reference to them saying how as a collective, they have not arrived in hip-hop in a way they had hoped to. They’ve talked about how this may be their last album, or that they may be moving on to do brand new things, and yet if people hear these songs and know this, it will either:
1) make them want to explore everything they’ve done
2) tell everyone that these guys should make more music
Away from their motivation in making this, there’s a sense of professionalism in this that makes this stand out as an exceptional release. If it is indeed made as a final offering, it sounds like a project that should be up there with some of the best albums of the year.
TheBREAX have been highly active this year, and there’s still four months to go. Brand new video from them comes in the form of the song “Paper Jam”. Enjoy.
Brand new video by TheBREAX is for a song taken from their recent mixtape Breax Over III, which you can download for free directly from TheBREAX.com (just right click and “save as”).
In case you missed it, they also released a video last week for the track “Charisma”, this one featuring Fonsworth Bentley. No excuse now, press play:
TheBREAX continue with their great Remix Wednesdays series where Ruslan drops a rhyme or two over a J Cole instrumental. If you like what you hear, you can download the track in full for free by clicking here (4.1mb).
theBREAX recently came out with a new mix tape last week called BREAX Over, and they’re not joking, for a mere seven days after they revealed the new music, they also reveal a new video for the song “Brilliant Realness”, a track they did with Sho Baraka.
The mix tape is free, and you can find out more about it by clicking here.
TheBREAX have returned with new music for 2011, and this one is in the form of a mixtape that actually works as a proper album too, and they’re calling it BREAX Over, hosted by DJ Wade-O, which makes its debut to the world on January 19, 2011. The group, after a number of solo and side projects, continue to evolve with songs show their growth and development as artists, with a passion for the music and the lyrics, which continues to be on the positive side without sacrificing their spirituality, There are some incredible songs on this one, and I can’t recommended any more than I am right here. Plus, it’s free. Try this out, and then explore their back catalog. Also check out the official TheBREAX Facebook page and keep track about their latest adventures, or open up communication to collaborate with them. Now, click the link.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK (117.2mb)
ALTERNATE LINK (Hotfile) (117.2mb)
I am just trying to be who I am
Stand for what I believe, I’ll believe what I’ll stand
I can show you what I have planned
Hopefully it pans out, oh they’ll understand
I’ll understand, I hope that you’ll understand
No pedestal needed, I’m just a man
I’ll understand, I’m hoping you’ll understand
No pedestal needed, listen, I’m just a man
On this solo album by TheBREAX member Ruslan, he tells his life story in “Intro” where he talks about where he’s from, who influenced him the most, his mission in life and music, and what he might be doing if music ends up not working for him. It’s so honest and genuine that you want to pump your fist and show respect wherever he goes.
While he has a core audience that knows him for his work within a Christian rap group, this new album shows him to be a bit more secular without sacrificing his intent or character. In a track like “Domesitcated”, featuring Braille and Blame One, they each drop verses on what it means to be a father and how one can’t take that for granted. “Custom Fitted” could have easily found a place on albums by Pete Rock or The Jaz, where he’s using various metaphors on his music, telling people how they enjoy hearing about things that aren’t acceptable but he’s going to fight the food fight because this is who he is. There’s also a spoken word sample that touches on how showing a soft side to your persona can be interpreted as something you’re not, a something that has often led to the break-ups of marriages, friendships, and business deals. He touches on a fear that is usually heard in hushed circles, if that, so perhaps those who pay attention will reconfigure their minds.
The guy has a gift of words that sounds nice, it’s not boring and everything he says challenges the last line in the song, it’s the type of power that comes from someone who loves what he does, and someone who loves hip-hop. As for producer DJ Rek, he will do his name many times in the future, pay attention.
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