The Very Good Agency

RZA’s new project – WuChess

Monday saw the beginning of WuChess, www.wuchess.com a new website allowing you to play chess online . Founded by RZA of Wutang Clan, the site will also feature news relating to the WuTang Clan. RZA, 38, who is set to tour Europe again this year with the Wutang Clan learned the game of Chess when he was just 11, from the girl whom he also lost his virginity to. RZA explains the similarity of chess to the Wutang Clan “because its a game of war – it’s about battle. And Wutang was formed in battles, from challenging each other”.

Playing nearly every day (along with cousin and co-fouder of Wutang GZA) saw him take out the Hip Hop federation belt in San Fransisco last year taking on a mixture of rappers and martial artists. The conclusion seemingly to turn your passion into your business, much like his musical career. Under his alias Bobby Digital, RZA releases “Digi Snax” in July this year which is sure to be an eclectic blend of sounds from many nations as he always delivers. Check out the video for Tragedy below as an example of the RZA’s ongoing theme of battle, martial arts, strategy, and chess.

RZA, GZA, and Bill Murray in the collection of short films Coffee and Cigarettes

K-os YES!

Canadian emcee K-os is set to release his new album entitled YES! in 2008. An amazing emcee with a reputation for innovation, K-os repeatedly reinvents his style as an musician, songwriter, singer, and super producer. In his own words the album includes “break beats – strings- tabla’s- and keyboard wizardy to be exposed..” an offer he is sure to deliver on.

Weaving Rock’n’Roll and Hip Hop with a string of different styles and production techniques seemlessly allows K-os to captivate audiences winning six Canadian Urban Music awards, a Source award, and a Grammy nomination along the way among many more

K-os – Man I Used To Be

Originally standing for “Kheavens Original Sound”, K-os now goes by the name “Knowledge of Self” making sense having enjoyed his poetry rap art of story since his first release in 2002 “Exit”. In 1996 Despite receiving an offer from BMG, k-os shyed away from the music business later saying that at this point in his career he had several albums finished, but was dissatisfied with his music. K-os labelled his music “pretentious and derivative,” and said he was “still trying to figure out who he was.” I guess he worked it out huh…

K-os – Crabbuckit

You can check out more of K-os at:

Updated article – Album released including new video for the single “4-3-2-1”
www.myspace.com/kos
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-os

YES! Follows Exit 2002, Joyful Rebellion 2004, Atlantis Hymns for Disco 2006

…bs

Foreign Exchange – ‘Leave It All Behind’

Phonte of Little Brother & Dutch producer Nicolay form Foreign Exchange

Dynamic duo Phonte of Little Brother and Dutch producer Nicolay have teamed up to release the follow-up to their critically acclaimed Connected from 2004. Leave It All Behind will hit the shelves later this year, with Nicolay recently posting this on his Myspace: “Let me cut right to the chase… the new FOREIGN EXCHANGE record is almost finished! We are currently working on one of the last tracks, which is the title track, ‘Leave It All Behind’, already one of my personal favourites”.

The first albums’ smooth blend of hip hop, R&B and electronic soul was achieved with the two members having never physically met each other. Brilliant production and Phonte’s compelling lyricism resulted in what is in my opinion a straight-up classic.

Phonte spoke briefly about the album on HipHopDx.com a while ago, when asked if the album would be similar to Connected, Phonte stated: “I can’t tell people what to expect. What I can tell them NOT to expect is ‘Connected Part 2.’ This is a totally different record with a different energy, but it’s still me and Nic doing what we do. I feel like this is the kind of record I’ve wanted to make all my life; I can’t wait for the world to hear it.” That makes two of us, Phonte.

You can check out Nicolay’s site at: www.nicolaymusic.com for more updates. or maybe you want to check out they’re track below… Sincere

Tags: Collaborations, hip hop

Nas

Nas has announced that the controversial title of his new album has had to change. Originally slated to be released as “N*gger”, the Queensbridge MC appears to have finally given way to industry pressure, changing the title to simply “NAS”.

In a statement to AllHipHop.com, Nas said “It’s important to me that this album gets to the fans.”It’s been a long time coming. I want my fans to know that creatively and lyrically, they can expect the same content and the same messages. It’s that important. The streets have been waiting for this for a long time. The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it.”

Two of Hip Hop’s controversial rappers unite when Nas and Jay Z perform together

That said, there is certainly a waft of corporate sellout in the air. The title has had much attention since it was announced late last year, and major label demands have obviously played a part in this decision. But it could all have been a big publicity stunt from the beginning? Who knows these days, let’s just hope it’s another classic from the God’s Son. The album will be released in July on Def Jam Recordings.

You can check out more of Nas at:

www.godsson.net

www.myspace.com/nas

also well worth checking out is Road to Zion which Nas featured on with Damian Junior Gong Marley in 2005

Tags: Collaborations, hip hop, Political

Rock The Bells

A Tribe Called Quest re-unite to play Rock The Bells 2008

Guerilla Union have come correct once again with another stellar line-up for the annual Rock The Bells hip hop tour of the States. Backing up from the strong 2007 bill, which included the likes of Rage Against The Machine and the whole Wu-Tang Clan; Rock The Bells will indeed do that. Headlining this year’s event are A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, Ghostface and Raekwon, Meth and Red, Immortal Technique, Murs, De La Soul, and the re-union of the original members of The Pharcyde.

The Pharcyde origional members play Rock The Bells 2008

Fan’s can expect to hear a huge amount of new material from the artists, with new albums on the way from Nas, with the self-titled NAS, due in July; Mos Def with The Ecstatic, supposedly due April; Ghostface and Raekwon reunite for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, due this American summer; Immortal Technique’s The Third World is due in June; and Meth and Red are back with The Blackout 2, also being released this American summer.

Mos Def – one of many amazing headline acts at Rock The Bells 2008

The festival will hit 9 US cities through July and August, and with tickets priced from US $32.50-$74.50 it’s a bargain that you’d have to be foolish to refuse given the opportunity Lets hope we something of this magnitude on the scene down this end of the world sometime soon.

For more info and the complete 2008 line-up head to www.guerillaunion.com/rockthebells or check out what Rock The Bells 2008 means to the artists at the press conference…

Tags: Festival, hip hop, Old School