Keelay & Zaire’s – “Saturday” featuring Torae and Tiffany Paige + Bonus Track

The Song:

To get us amped up for their full-length album Ridin High, the production duo Keelay & Zaire are dropping tracks from their free EP titled Prelude to Drive, which will come out in January. The first track released, “Saturday” featuring Torae and Tiffany Paige, is a modern-day serenade that envelops us in the feeling of being in love. Set behind relaxed chords that gently wash over the beat, Torae and Tiffany Paige tell us the story of their carefree days together. Torae offers up his honest rhymes while Tiffany Paige coos gentle melodies on this lighthearted gem.

Bonus Track: Leak from DJ J-Ronin & DJ Snips’ upcoming mixtape, All Elements v.10 (Hosted by Skyzoo)
Mickey Factz, Naledge of Kidz in the Hall and Fresh Daily – “Stop What You Doing” (produced by Keelay & Zaire)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/527835247efb628e/

The Background:

Keelay & Zaire are a bi-coastal team that operates with only one concrete rule; creating music with unlimited range. Complementing each other’s styles with precision, Kee & Zee work as a sole production machine that spawns gritty classic hip-hop, soulful R&B, and any other medium that requires an exclusive sound from the team. With Keelay out west in San Francisco, and Zaire in the east, holding it down in Virginia, the two have almost unlimited resources from which to draw talent and inspiration. In their debut LP Ridin High, the pair’s versatility takes center stage, backed up by a talented cast of emcees and singers including Phonte of Little Brother, Supastition, Blu, Cali Agents, Darien Brockington, Tash of Tha Liks, Saafir, Fortilive, The Park, Emilio Rojas, Surreal ,Slo-Mo, Mario Dones, The A.V.E., J.Fish, Jony Fraze, Whooligan, and Tiffany Paige. Keelay & Zaire’s Ridin High will be released in early 2009 by MYX Music Label.

J*DaVeY Update

Critical Praise for J*DaVeY:
“Freaking futuristic electro jazz, retro-soul bittersweetness, next-level hip-hop schematics, and punk-funk sleaze on a suavely savage double-disc debut, this Los Angeles duo specializes in baby-making music for 22nd century robots.” - Spin Magazine

“Davey and D’Leau have developed an utterly unique sub-genre of one within the stagnating neo-soul scene. This is perfect bedroom music, but certainly not meant to be confined behind a single closed door.” – URB Magazine

“The thirst quencher needed to revitalize the current state of music has finally arrived in the form of J*DaVeY.” – AllHipHop.com

It is more than safe to say that J*DaVeY had a breakthrough year. From signing on to a major record label, gaining accolades from the likes of the New York Times, Spin Magazine and URB Magazine, and luring in culture vultures at dynamic live shows in all the major cities, J*DaVeY made this a year to remember for music.

Here are some updates for all you J*DaVeY babies to amp you for 2009! In the past couple months, the futuristic duo have lightened their tour schedule and returned to the studio to focus on their full-length major label debut which is set to drop in 2009. The album is rumored to be a ground-breaking venture that transcends the current state of pop music as the duo continue to experiment and grow.

The sultry single “Sloow” from their EP has an accompanying video that will be released in early ‘09! Keep your eyes peeled for you next visual treat. To ring in the new year, J*DaVeY will perform at the new Dakota Music Lounge in Santa Monica (previously the Temple Bar) on New Year’s Eve.

The Background:

With production ranging from the spastic, space-age drums of “Mr. Mister” to the celestial keys of “Might As Well,” The Beauty In Distortion plays with the variance and depth of a polished, full album. On The Land of the Lost, producer-extraordinaire ?uestlove and Renaissance emcee Phonte of Little Brother contribute in an equally holistic compilation of futuristic records. Throughout the 23 tracks, two constants bind the project together in a mystical fashion: the steamy vocal musings of Jack Davey and the bleeps, drums, and melodies of Brook D’Leau.

Heralded as a cross between Prince and the B-52s, J*DaVeY is in fact influenced by too many genres to count. A fusion of funk, surf, soul, hip-hop, and electronic secret sauce, the J*DaVeY EPs will satiate starving fans from all ends of the musical spectrum. Already featured everywhere from Fader to Allure to CSI: New York, Jack and Brook are prepared to smoothly swagger into the limelight with their first major release. All ears not finely tuned to the freshly paved street will ring come July. The Beauty In Distortion / The Land of the Lost EP is in stores now.

AMALGAM DIGITAL TO RELEASE JOE BUDDEN’S LONG AWAITED SOPHOMORE LP, PADDED ROOM, ON FEBUARY 24th 2009

Joe Budden’s self-titled debut album went gold in 2003, earning him a Grammy nomination for best male rap solo performance (“Pump It Up”). Despite his successful debut, Budden’s sophomore album sat on the shelves at Def Jam for nearly four years; a setback that most artists would not have survived; but most artists are not Joe Budden.

Despite numerous setbacks, Jump Off Joe Budden kept very busy during those years, besides years of legal wrangling and politicking very loudly for his release from Def Jam (which resulted in a very public feud with Def Jam’s then president Jay-Z) Joe was forced to rely on a then new and unproven method (Internet) to release music to his very loyal fan base and he did so by releasing the critically acclaimed and highly buzzed about “Mood Muzik” mixtape series; collaborating with artists such as Fabolous, Clinton Sparks and Joell Ortiz and in the process engaging in highly publicized feuds with The Game, Prodigy and Ransom.

After finally gaining his release from Def Jam in 2007, Budden immediately became an A-List free agent and was courted by a slew of major labels. Always one to go against the grain, Joe circumvented traditional thinking and used his forward thinking mentality to sign with then upstart Amalgam Digital; the booming independent label responsible for launching Hip-Hop’s first genre-specific digital retail store. The move initially raised some eyebrows with the Hip-Hop populous, but Joe’s foresight was the guiding force behind the move; as Joe’s proactive use of the Internet and the response his Mood Muzik mixtapes received online (going from Nahright.com to your neighborhood in a single click), foretold a massive shift in the commercial landscape (coupled with the dramatic decrease of physical CD sales) and Joe was ahead of the curve in realizing that the Internet would not only be the guiding force where the masses would listen and decide upon what music and artists they liked, but also would eventually support and purchase. Fast forward to 2008 and Joe’s move seems even more revolutionary, as there has been a dramatic decrease of physical CD sales and Joe’s recent “digital only” precursor (Halfway House which was only available on Amalgamdigital.com and was the first digital-only Hip-Hop release employing both traditional marketing methods—radio, video, commercial radio, advertising campaigns, etc) to Padded Room debuted on the “Hot 200” sales chart—as only a strictly digital release. Halfway House also featured a track from Joe’s super-group, Slaughterhouse, (which also includes Joell Ortiz, Royce 5’9 and Crooked I) and a track from that group “Slaughterhouse” was recently crowned as one of the “80 Best Songs” of 2008 by Vibe Magazine (Jan 2009 issue). Further, Amalgam Digital is now a rapidly ascending record label with established stars such as Joe Budden, Max B and Peedi Crakk on its rapidly expanding roster and the labels shirts are quickly becoming a fashion statement.

Throughout his trails and tribulations with Def Jam and sparring with Hip-Hop’s heavyweights, Joe Budden has largely reinvented himself without losing what endeared himself to fans; his deep thinking lyrical brilliance (can anyone forget Joe’s brilliant “Who” trilogy?). In fact, with his “Joe Budden TV” videos going viral and becoming a staple on blogs worldwide, Joe has to a large extent become Hip-Hop’s “peoples champion” as Joe’s personality and “every man” personality transcends and fans can undeniably relate to his daily life (could a reality series be far behind?).

Joe’s relentless grind culminates on 2-24-09 with the release of his official sophomore LP Padded Room (which has already received rave reviews from XXL, Spin and Smooth Magazines) and the LP’s lead-single “The Future” featuring former adversary The Game is already burning up the Internet and the duo will also be filming a video for the track shortly.

In addition, AmalgamDigital.com also plans to re-launch the website store with a new design, enhanced functionality and new features in unison with the same date of Padded Room’s release. To celebrate the release of Padded Room and the site’s re-launch, Joe budden his record label, Amalgam Digital are offering fans exclusive hidden bonus tracks when the Padded Room album is purchased in digital format direct from www.AmalgamDigital.com

“The Padded Room album is crazy. Go out and get it” – Joe Budden

Tracklisting and credits for Joe Budden’s Padded Room:

01.  Now I Lay (produced by Blastah Beatz)

02.  The Future f/ The Game (produced by Fyu-chur)

03.  If I Gotta Go (produced by the Klasixs)

04.  Don’t Make Me (produced by Blastah Beatz)

05.  Blood On The Wall (produced by Moss)

06.  In My Sleep (produced by Blastah Beatz)

07.  Exxxes (produced by the Klasixs)

08.  I Couldn’t Help It (produced by the Klasixs)

09.  Adrenaline (produced by Dub B)

10.  Happy Holidays (produced by Quan)

11.  Do Tell (produced by Blastah Beatz)

12.  Angel In My Life (produced by Blastah Beatz)

13.  Pray For Me (produced by Versatile & Dilemma)