Words by DJ Theory
As we cruise into September, we’ve got one last summer post to close out the season proper. It’s Carnival season here in the US (make sure to check back here on LU soon for a wrap-up on today’s BK Carnival festivities), so anything else would be uncivilized. This Mixtape Mondays is so huge we don’t even know if our bandwidth will allow this much weight…
Federation Sound x 10 Deep, Summer Murda: When you think of NYC, music and style are two of the city’s main exports. Federation Sound and the streetwear dons at 10 Deep, two entities which have represented some of the best that the city has to offer in those fields for a decade, have come together to bring you Summer Murda, a free mixtape that more than lives up to its name. The mix was released this weekend to strategically salute the West Indian Day Parade and Labor Day weekend madness that ensues every year in Brooklyn. To quote 10 Deep, “in the spirit of the many Caribbean nations pouring into our streets to tear it up, we decided to contribute to the mayhem by throwing a new mixtape project into the mix–one that would end the summer with a bang… or a murder.” With 49 tracks of punishing dubplates and singles, Federation’s Max Glazer does what very few selectors can, and it’s all in a day’s work for the big sound (which also consists of Philly’s Kenny Meez, JA’s Alric & Boyd and the late Disco D). If you’re familiar with any of Federation’s past mixtapes, then you already know this is a timeless mix that will have you throwin up your trigger fingers from start to finish. Catch a preview of the murda–with huge specials from Kardinal Offishal, Sean Paul and more–in the video below, and download the mix directly here. For more info, head over to 10 Deep.
Rep JA x Chinese Assassin, Frenemies: Our folks over at Rep JA (get up to speed here) are back with another huge mix CD, combining forces again with some of the baddest reggae and dancehall DJs in the game, Miami’s Chinese Assassin. Boasting a total of 86 tracks, Frenemies spotlights two reggae’s most illustrious and celebrated artists–Beenie Man and Bounty Killer–who also happen to be rivals in what may be the most notorious and longstanding beef in dancehall music history. Frenemies is intended not to glorify that beef but rather to unify them, while spreading appreciation for two artists who have had a massive influence on reggae and Caribbean culture for two decades running. With early anthems like Bounty’s “Cellular Phone” to new classics like Beenie’s “Rum & Red Bull,” this mix should be required listening for dancehall fans. Salute to Rep JA on the cover art–we recommend grabbing the “Unity” tee as well from their web store. Download the mix directly here.