This is the first “leak” that didn’t quite make the cut for my upcoming album, “A Ruthless Criticism Of Everything Existing.”

“…sure i made this song but i don’t know a thing about the case…”

#MainstreamMediaMachine?

Is the machine autonomous, controlled or an unintended consequence? I ask because Sole’s purposeful rejection of the spectacle reminds me of Cory Doctorow’s review of Brook Gladstone’s comic, Influencing Machine, wherein he writes – “the major thesis of Influencing Machine: that the “media machine” that cynically distorts in order to serve the rich and powerful is a delusion. The reality is that the “media agenda” is an emergent phenomenon that arises spontaneously from commercial constraints, human frailty, state interference, and cognitive blindspots.” We know what RussiaToday thinks about the “Mainstream Media Madness”, but what say you?

From Fake Four’s Japan Relief Benefit EP.

link

Just days after the Japan earthquake and subsequent tsunami and radiation disasters, the Fake Four, Inc. camp received a welcomed message from rapper Kaigen, one of our closest allies from the island nation. He told us he was safe, though having seen the devastation first hand, he urged us to help aid the Japanese people. He suggested we rally our roster of talented artists to create a compilation of original material dedicated to Japan and the thousands lost and displaced in the disaster. Our artists and friends answered the call in the true collaborative spirit of Fake Four, Inc. reaching across genre lines and national borders for the cause. The result is a collection of songs that are thought provoking and earnest, proving that the best way to overcome adversity is by banding together and standing strong, united. Myka9′s personal mantra “It’s all love” sums up what went into this compilation and what it’s about. It’s a humanistic endeavor dedicated to honoring, educating and uplifting.

All profits go to support Relief International’s work to help survivors in Japan.

J-A-P-A-N
Vocals by Myka9 and Moka Only
Produced by Factor

The Great Deluge
Vocals by sole, Leif Kolt, Jared Paul, Kaigen and Greencarpetedstairs
Produced by Leif Kolt

No Easy Way to Grow
Vocals by Ceschi & Awol One
Produced by Factor
Additional vocals by Kaigen
Bass by Enver Hampton
Piano by Gregory Pepper

Fukushima Tokyo Electric Russian Roulette
adaptation of Hiroshima Nagasaki Russian Roulette by Jim Page
Vocals by sole
Produced by Radical Face

Directed by John Wagner and Yasamin Holland, thanks ugsmag

Buddy Peace on the cuts, peace to Fake Four

“The Pyre” is a collaboration between tim holland & ravi zupa. It is a seventy-two page illustrated epic poem with an accompanying full length “audiobook/album.” Holland & Zupa evoke the confusion, violence, hope, and voice of twelve thousand years spent digging in the mud.

It’s interesting looking at message board response. A lot of people draw thick lines in the sand. Many of our old fans are quick to say we’re lost, that we fell off. The main complaint for those folks is that we aren’t putting out things in the vein of what we used to, which is to say hip hop. The funny thing is, when I look back at our 2009 release schedule, I see more rap than we’ve released in years, along with music that’s different from our beginnings.

Many would have you believe this announcement and El-P’s recent decision to build Hovercrafts is proof of the widely held conspiracy theory that suggested Def Jux and Anticon were in fact working closely together over the past decade to subvert and annihilate the indie rap micro-industry. You be the judge, Tim “Sole” Holland explains:

Today, with a heavy heart I end 11+ years of working with anticon. In the early days of the label, anticon was a pet project of mine, a life-long dream. We fulfilled the dream of a collectively run record label and put out many great records and stood as an image of defiance against the music industry. Those memories, I will always have and be proud of. Sadly, those times are gone, and I need to live in the present as I prepare for the future.

We created anticon as a response to what was going on at the time in the music industry – the indy boom of the late 90’s. There were still a viable music industry then and people bought records. That’s how we built up our empire. The music industry isn’t just dying, but what it means to be a recording artist is changing. Technology is making everything cheap, and cheapening everything it touches. Soon the old ways of selling records will be a distant memory, along with magazines, working musicians and employed blue-collar dads. It’s not a time to cry about the recession, or urge people to go to their local mom and pops and pick up the new sole & skyrider LP. Technology is working its magic, and instead of being a passenger on its ship, I have decided to plot a new course for myself.

Read the full press release over @ soleone.org

sole feat. Jared Paul – My President

Odd Nosdam recently shared these songs from an unreleased collaborative project he recorded with Circus of the Shapeshifters. Likely this is from Circus For President, recently mentioned in Werner’s extensive interview w/ Sole One. Guest vocals from Sole, Why? and Anna (Why?’s ex-girl).

Songs From The Unreleased Circus And Odd Nosdam Collaborative Project

Excerpt:
Sole: at that time i had left my old graffitti crew / gang and started writing “sole.” i made a song about it, and then after that song i eventually changed my name to sole
Sole: 3 guys in a bar was also a fluke
Sole: back then my favorite record was j live’s braggin writes
Sole: i had been wanting to do music with j live so i got in touch with rawshack
Sole: george, the guy who ran rawshack, i think was amused by me as well,, so he’d explain the game to me, he was someone i used to call all the time
Sole: i was trying to sign with him.
Sole: anyway, me and j live never panned out, when mr complex dropped his record it, that and saafir, totally fucked up my approach to rapping , like “i dont have to rhyme”
Sole: i sampled mr complex on a song i did with cryptic one of atoms family who i met on prodigy
Sole: i sent mr complex the CD and he was so excited to hear himself sampled he agreed to do a song with me
Werner: lol nice
Sole: so he hooked it up with d-stroy and we did this song together
Werner: so, at that time you were running 45 below pretty seriously… you had other acts
Sole: yes
Werner: how did you link up with, like, six-too?
Sole: i mean, i cant say it was really serious. it was more of a crew, 45 below was an old school crew/label run from back 90 by moodswing 9