Pitchfork: News

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Devin the Dude Starts Smoke Sessions Mixtape Series

Devin the Dude is taking a break from taking it easy to issue Smoke Sessions Vol. 1, a brand new mixtape and Dude's first release for the BCD Music Group since leaving his label of 14 years, Rap-A-Lot, earlier in 2008.

As its name would suggest, Smoke Sessions Vol. 1 is the first in a planned series from Devin and his Coughee Brothaz crew. The inaugural installment arrives April 1 and features collaborations with a bunch of Devin's constant companions, including a ton of Coughee Brothaz and Todd Fisher's crazy ass. Expect more from this lot soon.

Devin's currently gearing up for SXSW, and has scattered dates planned through May. [MORE...]

MP3: Devin the Dude [ft. Monique and T.J.]: Makin' It Hard [from the forthcoming Smoke Sessions Vol. 1 mixtape]

Posted by Paul Thompson in mixtape, tour, label on Tue: 03-11-08: 11:40 AM CDT | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

Clipse, Timbaland, Diplo Join Lil Wayne on Mixtape
By the time you finish reading, Lil Wayne will have recorded eleventy-hundred new mixtapes.

Sometimes it seems like Lil Wayne just accidentally talks while a song is playing and-- whoops, another mixtape! However, we have yet to see a mixtape from him that includes as wide a variety of contributors as his forthcoming None Higher: We Got the Remix Special Edition with DJ Benzi.

Benzi-- whose website strangely features his music right alongside paparazzi-esque pictures of celebrity women-- has worked with Clipse, Twista, Rick Ross, and Pitbull on previous mixtapes, and for None Higher, he brought remixing guests to the table ranging from the Neptunes, Clipse, and Timbaland to Diplo, A-Trak, Ghislain Poirier, and Nick Catchdubs. David Banner contributed production on "Monster", and None Higher also includes guest spots from Jay-Z, Devin the Dude, and Bun B. According to Benzi, "almost all" of the material is unreleased, and much was culled from his extensive archives.

Benzi will make None Higher available as a free download at the end of May, and he plans to release both a limited edition hard copy and a 12" of None Higher tracks and instrumentals at the same time. [MORE...]

MP3: Lil Wayne: Gone Bad [ft. Devin the Dude & Bun B] (Mr JPatt Remix) [from the forthcoming None Higher mixtape]

Posted by Dave Maher in mixtape, collaboration on Wed: 05-02-07: 03:00 PM CDT | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

Young Jeezy Unveils Cold Summer Mixtape, Adds Dates

Atlanta motivational speaker Young Jeezy, aka homo snowpiens, will release his USDA (United Streets and D-Boys of America) crew's first seasonally inappropriate mixtape on May 22. Young Jeezy Presents USDA: Cold Summer will come out on the Young one's label, Corporate Thugz Entertainment, in conjunction with Def Jam.

The friends and weed carriers featured on Cold Summer include producers Sanchez, Nazty, Midnight Black, and Drumma Boy and MCs Slick Pulla and Blood Raw. USDA's first single, "White Girl", is a Drumma Boy production.

Jeezy fans not out buying Rocawear-distributed 8732 ("USDA" in phone button terms) clothing right now can check the crew out on their YouTube channel, which features clips of Jeezy and co. on his previously reported tour with Lil Wayne, Rich Boy, Fat Joe, Jim Jones, and Baby.

Since Young Jeezy presumably still cares about his own music, he will release "Dreamin' [ft. Keyshia Cole]" as The Inspiration's third single in mid-to-late April. [MORE...]

Stream: Young Jeezy / USDA: White Girl [from the forthcoming Young Jeezy Presents USDA: Cold Summer mixtape]

Posted by Dave Maher in mixtape, tour, clothing, single on Wed: 03-28-07: 02:05 PM CDT | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink

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Thu: 05-15-08: 04:15 PM CDT
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