Joey Ripps - Son Of 1,000 Pardons (2011) (192)

In the early 80s, while in my teens, I first heard hip-hop music and it was for me... there was simply something about it that spoke to me. It was the future. It was exciting and fresh. A musical genre in its infancy that was finding its way... learning who it was. It grew up over the years... it evolved... still learning about itself. It had a chance to sell out and took it. It embraced the good times and seemed to forget about the important things in life. Eventually it was even used and manipulated by its corporate bosses.

Thankfully hip-hop's always had a double life. While the mainstream world thought it was one thing, it managed to keep a connection to the underground and was actually another thing. Unbeknownst to all but true heads, it continued to evolve. Today it exists in the form of the many independent EMCEEs, DJs and producers that continue to embrace it and push it and pull it and prod it and mold it and shape it into new forms that explore its past and its future. To the uninitiated, hip-hop is dead... it's "gangsta"... it's "jiggy"... it's about rims... it's about hoes & bitches... it's uncreative... it's stupid... it's an embarrassment. Not true... well... only partially true... it is those things and so much more.

It's south... it's north... it's east... it's west... it's everything in between. It's malleable and that's what makes it so incredible! When done well... it's a thing of beauty. Down in Richmond, VA, there's a crew called Just Plain Sounds. It's a crew of talented producers, DJs and EMCEEs who are doing it well... making it beautiful. Real music for real souls to feel and connect with. The cast of creators involved in this Joey Ripps album are mostly from RVA, part of the JPS crew who are making good things happen down there. There's also 13adluck who makes an appearance on "My Block To Your Block" making the team Luck & Ripps a reality once again.

So I guess what I'm saying is that "Son Of 1,000 Pardons" is hip-hop done well. It's that stuff that isn't trying to "keep it real"... only trying to keep it honest.

Thanks once again to JPS for the honest music. Thanks to Joey Ripps, Just Plain Ant, 13adluck, Bliss-One, DJ Harrison, Draztiq, Gordy Micheal, Ohbliv, Rowan & Sleaze... it's an honor. Hey 13aluck & Sleaze... see y'all later this year on your blocSonic releases!

Of course, as always, thank you! Thanks for listening & downloading. Keep the music moving... spread the word... share it... blog it... podcast it... oh and if you're in radio... support Creative Commons artistry... broadcast it!

Peace


Mike Gregoire


Founder/Curator blocSonic.com




Want high-resolution album art, liner-notes or lossless FLAC audio? Check out the blocSonic release page!




About blocSonic

For the past decade an alternative culture of music has been sprouting up outside the wastelands of the increasingly formulaic and compartmentalized mainstream music business. This world of "Netaudio" is generally released freely, either independently or through Netlabels. As this culture continues to grow, the amount of available music grows exponentially making it increasingly difficult for folks who are new to the culture to filter the good from the bad. Each of our free releases, in one way or another, are an attempt to shine the spotlight on what we think is the best of what this world has to offer.

Consider blocSonic a filter through which you can discover this vibrant, global culture! Currently there are three ways which we spotlight what the netaudio world has to offer:

Originals

During our travels through the wide-world of netaudio culture, we find artists who stand out and who we feel would be perfect to spotlight independently in original blocSonic album releases. Each Original features:

Available in a choice of three high-quality audio formats -- Lossless FLAC, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.


Complete album art is available in three formats -- EPS, PDF and TIF.


40+ page PDF booklet with complete liner-notes, lyrics, photos and album credits.

Xtended Editions

Each of our Xtended Edition (XE) series is essentially a re-release. A re-release of an album that blocSonic found to be an exceptional example of the quality that the netaudio world is capable of producing. These re-releases contain the original album as well as at least a bonus disc worth of material (remixes, demos, outtakes, new material and/or other unreleased material). They also feature fresh album art and as with all our releases an extensive PDF booklet. Each Xtended Edition features:

At least 1 disc worth of bonus material


Available in a choice of three high-quality audio formats -- Lossless FLAC, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.


Complete new album art is available in three formats -- EPS, PDF and TIF.


40+ page PDF booklet with complete liner-notes, lyrics, photos and album credits.

netBlocs

Each of these eclectic releases shine a spotlight on ten or so international audio gems culled from the Netaudio culture. Each netBloc features:

Available in a choice of three high-quality audio formats -- Lossless FLAC, 320kbs MP3 and 192kbs MP3.


Complete album art is available in three formats -- EPS, PDF and TIF.


30+ page PDF booklet with complete liner-notes, track credits and artist photos.

Xtras

These special collections feature Creative Commons licensed tracks that for one reason or another blocSonic couldn't acquire official permission to use but find them worthy of extra attention. Since no formal permission has been acquired, links to the original files are provided rather than compiling them into a proper release. However, a cover and a tracklisting is provided in order for you to burn them to disc, if you'd like.

Why do we do what we do? We love music, we love netaudio and have found that the quality and variety of what's coming out of this culture is superior to that of much of what's coming out of the mainstream music industry. We feel more secure donating to netaudio artists/labels then we do purchasing formulaic music-product from the majors. We'd like you to also feel that way toward the netaudio culture. We realize that most people don't have the time and/or patience to filter through it all to find the good stuff, so we invest the time to find the gems in the ruff and deliver them to you in our releases.

In between releases, you can also look forward to blog posts about netaudio news or topics relating to DRM and online music.

So subscribe to our feed and discover great new openly-licensed music every month. Be sure to spread the word!