An Independent Hip Hop Brand.

iHD, a site that aims to capture the essence of the hip hop genre. By covering upcoming hip hop artists, events, art, and film, that still hold true to what makes hip hop, well, dope! This site was founded on June 23, 2009 by Jessica Estevez. www.iheartdilla.com/iHD

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Yeezus is Kanye West's epic deliverance of his latest 10 commandments etched on two digital tablets. As lightning strikes and the thunder claps he holds them skyward and forcefully proclaims Thou shalt not ever-ever, ever-ever dream of defining me! I don't even know who the fuck or what the fuck I am. However, he left this CD and it's cover blank. It's a work that he's leaving open to our interpretation. This project is Kanye's what do I do next moment. He's already mastered the art of crafting stadium music, thus transcending mortal hip-hop artists. He sets the tone for American pop-culture. He fathered hip-hop's new-cool school, most notably (and obviously) Drake and J-Cole, and possibly Lupe Fiasco and Kid Cudi. Yeezy is a sinister scientist working feverishly in the lab on an ambitious, diabolical new mission--World domination!

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I blast some of my favorite hip hop artists during the summer months. Just to name a few on my playlist are The Stuyvesants, 88-Keys, James Fauntleroy, Flying Lotus, Gorillaz, Johnson & Jonson, and last but not least Little Brother. Each of these artists represents a particular sound. When I’m riding in my whip (yes I said whip) I rock out to The Stuyvesants who give me an old school soul/R&B/hip hop sound. 88-Keys gives me melodic hip hop sounds with a hint of soul. James Fauntleroy gives me R&B, pop, soul, hip hop, jazz all in one. His voice is ridiculous. Flying Lotus gives me a splendid combo of hip hop, electro, and jazz/acid jazz. The Gorillaz also give me something similar to Flying Lotus’ sound with a hint of rock influences. Johnson & Jonson gives me straight hip hop with a great story to tell. NowLittle Brother, I am a huge fan of these gentlemen. Their music gives me hip hop, soul, comedy, drama, great storytelling, R&B, and that wonderful southern influential sound like no other (shout out to my folk in Plymouth, NC and Sumter, SC). 9th Wonder, Big Pooh and Phonte produced some of the best hip hop tracks that I haven’t heard in a very long time. Nevertheless each artist possesses something different in their style or delivery. Although the group has parted ways, they are all still pumping out great work. I got a chance to talk to Big Pooh regarding his latest track entitled “Gold Chain” featured on his upcoming EP entitled Fat Boy Fresh Vol. 3: Happy Birthday Thomas.

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Jay-Z will once again, rewrite the new rules, and further highlight and contrast the Professor/pre-schooler dynamic that exists in today's hip-hop. You want to place a bet on who the professor is? Not only will Jay release Magna Carta Holy Grail, on July 4, he will most likely become the first music artist to go certified platinum before his project's release date.Jay's latest shrewd business maneuver was made possible by his new reported $20 million deal with Samsung. As reported in billboard.com, Magna Carta Holy Grail will be available for free download on July 4, 12:01 a.m. EST to the first one million Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy 4 and Galaxy Note II users. Fans will be able to unlock the albums the phone's Magna Carta app.

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North Carolina, Hip Hop producer and DOC Music Group member, U'Nique Music has linked up with iHD to release his first instrumental EP, Audio Therapy.

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Rap is a lie but 'You Love It' tho.

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I had the pleasure of being able to interview one of the baddest Milwaukee emcees/producers by way of New York. One of the master minds of the Brown Bag AllStars, he has indeed done his share of making his mark in the underground hip hop world and beyond. He hips me to his thought regarding his latest project and what we can look forward to from he and the AllStars this Summer.

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News | A Word on Tours: Hip Hop Summer 2013 Rocks (The Bells)!

In this section iHD will bring you the latest music tour info to help you stay in tune with your favorite artists. We will update this section with new information, as we get it to keep you updated and in the loop.

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"I am a child of former slaves who had a system imposed on them," stated Lauryn Hill during yesterday's tax evasion sentencing in federal court, Newark New Jersey. "I had a system imposed on me." Lauryn Hill was sentenced to three months of jail time, to begin July 8, followed by one year of parole supervision that begins with three months of home confinement.

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“RAP IS A LIE BUT ‘YOU LOVE IT’ THOUGH.”

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Like Guru of Gang Starr once rapped, “everyone must face their moment of truth.” That moment comes today for hip-hop icon, Lauryn Hill. She will be sentenced for tax evasion charges stemming from her failure to pay taxes on approximately $1.8 million earned from 2005-2007.

read more on iHD!

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Recap | The Independent’s Day Show w/Jessica Estevez & DJ Jon Blak EP 7

On Monday, April 8th, 2013 the Independent’s Day Show had it’s seventh episode onwww.beatminerzradio.com.

Jessica Estevez spoke about Ray-J’s latest attempt of a comeback with his single, “I hit it first” only to make a public apology. We wished legendary Biz Markie a happy birthday, as well as dropped some gems about the controversy with sampling and how Biz Markie played a big part in today’s sampling. Jay-Z & Beyonce’s trip to Cuba, and how they’re now being investigated by Congress. Lupe Fiasco threatened a fan and said how he had several black belts. – WOW! GZA joins forces with the New York Board of Education & More!

DJ Jon Blak dropped some new music by some new artists that submitted to iHD and some familiar artists in the hip hop game.

Track List:

Blu, TiRon & Ayomari, Tito Lopez, Joey Bada$$, Top $ Raz, Jay-Z, Jedi Mind Tricks, Marco Polo & Rakim, The Purist & Maffew Ragazino, Nitty Scott MC, Jamar Jacobs, Neako, FowL, Trek Life, ScienZ, Fresh Daily, Tyler the Creator, Lil Fame, Audimatic, The Notorious B.I.G., and Mobb Deep.

Be sure to check out the Independent’s Day Show on BeatminerzRadio.com every Monday at 8pm EST. Tune in and join the chat!

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Editorial | Jailhouse Roc: The FACTS About Hip Hop and Prison for Profit by Homeboy Sandman

GoldenUndergroundTV recently released an interview I did with them late last year. I got a bit animated at the end. Only so many interviews in a row I could handle being asked about Chief Keef.

My tirade wasn’t really about Chief Keef. It wasn’t about Gucci Mane or Wocka Flocka or any of the acts spontaneously catapulted into stardom by synchronized mass media coverage despite seemingly universal indifference (at the very best) regarding their talent. Whose arrests, involvement in underaged pregnancies, concert shootouts, and facial tattoos, dominate conversation for weeks at a time, with their actual music a mere afterthought, if thought of at all.

My tirade was about marketing. It was about media powers seeking out the biggest pretend criminal kingpins they can find, (many of whom who shamelessly adopt the names of actual real life criminal kingpins like 50 Cent and Rick Ross), and exalting them as the poster children for a culture. It was about an art form reduced to product placement, the selling of a lifestyle, and ultimately, a huge ad for imprisonment.

This is not my opinion.

Last year Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the biggest name in the private prison industry, contacted 48 states offering to buy their prisons. One stipulation of eligibility for the deal was particularly bizarre: “an assurance by the agency partner that the agency has sufficient inmate population to maintain a minimum 90% occupancy rate over the term of the contract.“

What kind of legitimate and ethical measures could possibly be taken to ensure the maintenance of a 90% prison occupancy rate?

Two months later an anonymous email was sent out to various members of the music and publishing industries giving an account of a meeting where it was determined that hip-hop music would be manipulated to drive up privatized prison profits. Its author, despite claiming to be a former industry insider, did not provide the names of anyone involved in the plot, nor did he specify by which company he himself was employed. As such, the letter was largely regarded as a fraud for lack of facts.

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Whilst this eight track EP is not without its share of the ‘dreaded keyboard’, the whole thing is built around a series of Otis Redding samples.

New York City producer, Jinesis, has teamed up for the second time with TMB (The Mad Bloggers) on an Otis Redding-based project. Last year they brought you “The Otisis Instrumentals” and now they take a step forward by adding some of the best indie MCs around.

The opener “This is How We Do” comes on like a Prince outtake with C-Mone blasting out a non-stop series of verses that matches the bounce of the track.

Check more of what Richard Evans had to say about this project over at iHD!

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iHD would like you to choose the next iHEART TRACK OF THE WEEK. 

Scroll down to read the list of options and listen to the selections.

When you’re ready, click on the link to cast your vote. Voting closes on Saturday, April 6, 2013.

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Brooklyn hip hop artist, Torae dropped his mix tape Admission of Guilt this month. When the beat of the intro drops you can hear the urgency in what he wants his fans to feel. I’m more a lover of lyrics but an admirer of beats and this mix tape fulfilled this it’s own way. On the track “Burden of Proof”, the feds are banging on his door which kind of reminds me of The Firm’s “Phone Tap.”

The lyrics are a lot more descriptive in regards to the exchange he’s having. He goes into discussing his hustle, what his background story is and how in the midst of acquiring the finer things you forget to be thankful on the track “Forget To Say Grace”.  He discusses his love for hip hop but love don’t pay the bills on the track “What’s Love” which features Pharoahe Monch. This is one of my favorite joints cause he and Pharoahe go in! Torae states, ‘coming up they told me love was the message but somebody ain’t get the memo if they left it.’ Then Pharoahe states, ‘I liberated my life with love and levitated and left every lyric I laid completely obliterated.’ Whew!

Find out what Lashay Basnight rated this mixtape on iHD!

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Tonight's da Night!

The Independent's Day Show on www.beatminerzradio.com at 8pm EST!

Tune in!