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The great Ray West, based in the Bronx, has just released the instrumentals for Ray's Cafe, the joint album he produced with O.C. - legendary lyricist from the D.I.T.C. crew. Ray's Cafe found itself on many year end, best of 2014 lists and should not be missed as it really is one of the best albums from the past year. The project also featured guest appearances from D.I.T.C. member A.G. and Milano. Please visit http://redapples45.bandcamp.com/album/rays-cafe-instrumentals to download the instrumental versions now and you can check out the official track list below. 01. Ray's Cafe 02. Have Fun 03. Soul Kitchen 04. Go Back 05. Lover's 06. Breaking Rules 07. YMI 08. Gotta Luv It 09. Just Cause 10. After Hours 11. Learn Lessons 12. Go BK 13. My Heart's

Austrian producer Flip has just released the second video/single, "Without Warning," from his upcoming album Reflections which will be available worldwide 2-17-15. The album is being released via Ill Adrenaline Records and will be available on CD, vinyl, cassette and digitally. Please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asBChnxzx6k&feature=youtu.be to check out the video for "Without Warning" featuring Elzhi and Phat Kat now. Reflections will also feature guest appearances by lyrical heavyweights like EDO. G, Killah Priest, Guilty Simpson, Kev Brown, LMNO, Tragic Allies, and many more. Visit http://bit.ly/FlipReflections to pre-order Flip's Reflections on iTunes now.

Rhyming While Black is the latest offering from HBO Def Jam poet, emcee, college professor, and award-winning playwright Idris Goodwin. The album includes nine meditations, celebrations and frustrations in rhyme and features talent from Detroit, Minneapolis, Oakland, Colorado, Chicago, New York, and New Mexico. Rhyming While Black, which was successfully funded through crowd-funding site Indiegogo, bumps with a neo-boom bap flavor with thoughtful lyricism. Sister Layla Goodwin and former student Denali Gillaspie add dimension and weight with their soulful hooks. Through humor, poignant insight and fury he explores the current anxieties existing within black America. Goodwin has been featured on HBO, Sesame Street and NPR. His book These Are The Breaks was

Canadian producer/DJ Factor Chandelier has been making a solid name for himself in the States since 2009 after teaming up with Fake Four, Inc. and Myka 9 of Freestyle Fellowship. As producer for Myka's sixth solo album 1969, the 32-year-old proved he could hang with the big dogs. In support of the album, he hit the road with Myka, founder of Fake Four Inc. Ceschi Ramos and Anticon Records co-founder Sole for a sizable North American tour. Factor's discography is so long, it seems like he never stops working. In addition to countless collaborations, his solo albums include: Time Invested (Off Beat Production, 2002), Con-Soul Confessions (Off Beat Production, 2003), Three (Side Road, 2003), Heights (Side Road, 2005), Chandelier (Fake Four Inc., 20

Kenn Starr sees his career at square one, despite being regarded among the elite of the DMV scene, and being in the inner circle of producers Oddisee and Kev Brown, and having his newest album signed to Mello Music Group. Eight years since his debut, Starr Status, Kenn Starr is baggage free on his sophomore album, Square One. Largely produced by Kev Brown with a nice block of production by Black Milk, and additional work by 14KT, Roddy Rod, and Kaimbr, Square One is Kenn Starr getting back to his foundation to begin anew. The laid back flow remains intact—complementary to the Kev Brown's vintage soul-crate production - but the perspective is written with a wisdom earned through seeing opportunities that overpassed his doorstep. Square One is the only album

Strange Famous signee B. Dolan first gained notoriety as a wide-eyed 18-year-old in 2002 when he participated in HBO's Def Poetry event and won numerous slam titles. It was clear he could write, perform and deliver his work with conviction, but he wasn't prepared to deal with major labels. It's no surprise he turned to the mic once again to launch his burgeoning hip-hop career, which took off once he moved back to his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island after a stint in New York City. Sage Francis, longtime friend/founder of Strange Famous, took Dolan under his wing and released his second full-length, Fallen House, Sunken City, in 2010. Currently pushing Vol. 3 in the House of Bees mixtape series, Dolan is putting the finishing touches on his third full-length album, Kill The Wolf. While