Listen to M.P.L.S. + FranzDeigo.com

Listen to MPLS is a weekly podcast that was started by FranzDiego, Noam the Drummer and Alicia Steele. The show provides a voice for people in Minneapolis and what they’re doing and or working on. Musicians, Artists, Political Activists, Mothers, Fathers, you name it they’re a guest! The threesome talks about whatever and whoever they want, however, watch your step around the lady of the show she’s got a mean bark (in a good way of course)!

The crew will be hosting a re-launch of their website and celebration of the start of the second season of the podcast at the Dintkytowner this coming Saturday. FranzDiego will also be releasing a free mixtape that every attendee will receive in the promotion for his upcoming album due to be release this summer. Noam the Drummer from Radio K’s The Beat Box will hold it down on the tables with performances by Alicia Steele, Sevadar Sehaj, Alissa Paris, Greg Greas & Ak-Libertto of The Usual Suspects and FranzDiego.com.

Dinytowner Café
412 ½ 14th Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN
9PM
Ladies FREE before 10:30PM

Bang Ya Head II

10 new tracks and assorted guest shots from MED. Expect a new 12-inch from MED in May. Thanks to DJ Rhettmatic on this one.



1. Intro
2. The Futuristic (RMX) - Guilty Simpson feat. MED. Produced by OhNo
3. Break It On Down - MED. Produced by Just Blaze
4. Dogg - MED feat. Polk Dogg. Produced by Madlib*
5. Not A Warning - MED feat. Polk Dogg. Produced by Madlib*
6. Shotgun RMX - PPP feat. J Dilla & MED. Produced by Waajeed
7. West Iz Back (Demo) - MED. Produced by Dj Khalil*
8. It's A New Day - DJ Babu feat MED. Produced by Dj Babu
9. Zoom - MGD (MED + Georgia Anne + Declaime). Produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow*
10. Do It - Rhettmatic feat. MED. Produced by DJ Rhettmatic*
11. Get Money - MED. Produced by Madlib*
12. Endure - MED feat. Rapper Big Pooh. Produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow*
13. Anytime - Dert feat. MED. Produced by Dert
14. Classic - MED feat. Talib Kweli. Produced by Madlib*
15. The Ride (RMX) - Oh No feat. MED. Produced by Dj Rhettmatic*
16. $100 Bill - MED. Produced by Madlib*
17. Outro

*MED Exclusives

Listen HERE

Diamond District-In the Ruff

http://www.zshare.net/download/58639724e3cf086e/

Oddisee produced this album as a dedication to mid 90's classic boombap hardcore hiphop. Diamond District I believe are a group of mc's from D.C. that fit this project very well.

I believe if you download this, you will enjoy it. Oddisee did a great job on the production. And they are giving this away as a free download. spread the word.

Black Blondie Album Release Party Photo Slide Show

All photos copyright Christina "C-Rocka" Rimstad

Backstage @ Black Blondie release w/Dead Prez, Muja Messiah, M.Anifest

Backstage randomness: w/ M1 (Dead Prez) & Muja Messiah from M.anifest on Vimeo.

Last Friday Minneapolis celebrated the long awaited release from Black Blondie. Just so happens that M-1 from Dead Prez was in town and was kickin' it with the homie Muja Messiah. See what M.Anifest captured on his camera back stage with the crew of homies. Also I should, at some point this weekend, finally get my pictures up from the release party.

Redesign of Emil Ruder's "Typographie"

In the middle of March my typography class had an awesome project assigned to it a collaboration project. When it was first assigned the class (four of us) were super excited about redesigning the classic typography book, “Typographie” by Emil Ruder. The weeks went by and some of us felt less and less motivated by the project and it turned almost into a chore. Well last night we busted out the final piece!


As a group we collectively decided to take the book and make it into a box that would be able to travel to different libraries to be used as an education tool on typography. A lot of love, sweat and tears, YES TEARS, went into this project. The box sits 12”x12”x3” with an amazing pattern made by Mz. Molly Hein based off the cover of Ruder’s book. Inside the contents are:

-A bellyband that wraps around the box. Designed by Catherine Grothe. (I don’t have any pictures of this oops :( )



-A motion graphics piece, which has been formatted to a DVD and stuck to the lid of the box. Designed by Catherine Grothe & Matt Van Ekeren.







-24”x24” With quotes from the intro of the book in regards to the practice of typography according to Emil Ruder and on the other side a duo-toned image of Emil Ruder. Designed by Christina "C-Rocka" Rimstad.



-Three Pamphlets about the history and development of typography over the years. They are also in a square format (I don’t know the dimensions off the top of my head) and are in an accordion fold. Designed by Mz. Molly Hein and Matt Van Ekeren.



-Sheets of paper to use to make a message with the stamps in the box. Designed by Catherine Grothe.






-A set of stamps along with some symbols of the UNIVERS 65 Bold typeface. Designed by Christina "C-Rocka" Rimstad.

Check out some more images of the process on my Flickr page here.

MSTRKFT Mustaches & Shades Contest

Beautiful/Decay has teamed up with MSTRKRFT to present a creative giveaway in celebration of their “Fist of God” album release. All you have to do is send us your COOLEST drawing of two dudes sporting mustaches and shades! You can draw MSTRKRFT if you want- or any other two guys sporting this incognito look. Three lucky winners will receive a MSTRKRFT prize package of a poster & cd. Winning submissions will also be featured on the Beautiful/Decay blog! So get creative- submissions can be digital, painted, crocheted, Bento boxes, whatever!

Submit to: contactbd@beautifuldecay.com
Or send hard copies/CD’s with images/fake mustaches to:
Attn: Mustache & Shade Competition
PO Box 2336
Culver City, CA 90231
(All snail mail submissions will not be returned unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included.)

The prizes:-1 MSTRKRFT poster (courtesy of GCS gallery)
-1 copy of MSTRKRFT’s latest album, “Fist of God”
-Feature on Beautiful/Decay blog
Contest ends: May 20th!

37th Chamber

El Michels Affair covers Wu-Tangs 36 Chambers album and dub it the 37th Chamber, enjoy.

El Michels Affair - 37th Chamber -

http://www.zshare.net/download/58918394cac1ec67/

Dutty Geisha

(Awesome Packaging)


(The ring and necklace I grabbed)

My girls over at Wrong Lips did a lil write up about SAKIR aka Dutty Geisha on their blog last month. When I read the post I was immediately drawn to her crafty, sophisticated, funky jewelry that I just had to get me some! Unfortunately the link on Wrong Lips wasn't working but SAKIR saw my comment and hit me up. I'm so happy she did I grabbed a couple of pieces from her and they arrived last night. SAKIR took the time to package the pieces in these individual beautiful envelopes and also included two samples of her oils, which are delicious! Please support this Brooklyn artist and get yourself some one of a kind jewelry. She's having a sale all through April on her Etsy site check it out. Peace & Love to SAKIR!

Black Blondie CD Release Tomorrow Night!

Two years in the making Black Blondie is finally releasing their debut full-length album, Do You Remember Who You Wanted To Be, which has proven to be anything but disappointing. The album is filled with intense emotions of story telling on themes such as self-examination, loss and love along with a wide range of influential sounds such as Jazz, Afro Beat, Dirty Hip-Hop and Soul. Black Blondie also prides themselves on writing all their songs, in other words, they didn’t sample ANYTHING!



Join Samahra Daly, the sassy front woman of Black Blondie, along with other band members Tasha Baron (Keys) and Liz Draper (Bass) tomorrow night at the Triple Rock Social Club to celebrate the release. The show will include opening acts from Ghanaian emcee, M.anifest, Chastity Brown along with her live band and DJ Turtleneck on the tables keeping the crowd moving with his signature mixes of hip-hop, dance and soul music.



Bonus-download “For the Taste” here



Also peep their live performance on NBC yesterday here



Triple Rock Social Club

629 Cedar Ave S

Minneapolis, MN 55454

612.333.7399

What's On Deck?

The El Michels Affair! This group is amazing. I haven't been able to stop listening to this tribute album since I threw it on the computer. The group does cover songs of popular groups like Wu-Tang. Hopefully next week sometime I'll have the leak of the 37 Chambers WuTang cover album, but in the meantime check out this tribute to Isaac Hayes that did.

El Michels Affair - Black Moses -

http://www.zshare.net/download/58446130556eec9d/

Sarah White-"I Wanna Be With You"

Sarah White moved to New York City from Minneapolis almost two years ago to get her solo career rolling. White has been on the grind day and night while building up her name. She's been working with amazing artists, released a solo EP and won the Scion Vocalist contest! We Love you mama! FiveSixPromo just released one of Sarah's underground hits "I Wanna Be With You" as a remix by Rucyl, an amazing producer and visionary. Check it out!

Making Music with Black Blondie

Photograph by France Barbeau





Tonight the Whole Music Club hosts another installment of Making Music, a series of interviews with short performances by local musicians started by James G. Everest. Black Blondie will be the second in the hot seat tonight of the 2009 series. The three ladies will be conversing about growing up, writing songs, and recording their highly acclaimed debut full-length album, Do You Remember Who You Wanted to Be, set to be released this month. The show is free, all ages and open to the public; get there early for guaranteed admission.



Whole Music Club

300 Washington Ave. SE

Minneapolis, MN 55455

Doors: 7PM

Show: 8PM

FREE!

Stack Duckets

Mama is working on a tee shirt for the Stack Duckets clothing company out here in Minneapolis. I FINALLY scanned in the image yesterday and took a quick snap of the sketch after the fact. I'll keep you updated on when it will be out and what it will look like.