Statik Selektah, Prodigy & J-Zone’s Official NYC Listening Party [Exclusive Coverage]
New York, NY -- Last Thursday was a night of celebration as emcees, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts gathered for the official NYC listening party for not one, but three hitmakers. Post-modern haunt Stay Lounge was the perfect venue for the triple-header; with free-flowing drinks, celebrities, and new music from
J-Zone
,
Prodigy
and
Statik Selektah
, guests weren’t going anywhere.
Statik Selektah’s
Stick 2 Tha Script
was one of the LPs that was introduced to the crowd for the jam-packed evening. Despite being best known for his compilations with hip hop wordsmiths, the Lawrence, Mass. DJ said that this time around there will be a lot more homage paid to lyricism and beat-making. “Expect better production, more tracks, and great lyrics from great artists this time around,” Statik said.
Stick 2 Tha Script
offers both underground and mass appeal, blending mixtape veterans like
with big-names like
and
. “
and
Tony Touch
have had [compilation albums too], but mine will be different because there will be a lot more cuts on this album,“ he said.
showed love for the album, as his track “
” has received lots of buzz online within recent months. From the ruggedly-sensitive ivory-tickling of DJ Booth favorite "
," to the soulful hook singing on the
M.O.P.
and
-assisted “
," and the calm complexity of “
,” featuring
,
and
, everyone agreed that
Stick 2 Tha Script
is much appreciated.
The next album was Prodigy,
Big Twins
and
Un Pacino
’s collaborative effort,
. Although there are only a few appearances by P’s cronies on the album, the H.N.I.C shows love for 80s break-style beats and arcade-like sounds via producers
Sid Roams
(
Bravo and Joey Chavez
),
, and
Sebb
.
“
” is a solo track which allows P to break out angst-ridden rhymes about his time on the inside, while the dark “Sex, Drugs & Murder” features the Big Twins shining over a sinister beat, revisiting classic productions by
and
simultaneously. The fifteen-track album features diverse sounds, interesting song titles (“Test Tube Babies” and “Damn, Daddy”) and intense beats, and has gained a minimal buzz as a result of the rapper's current incarceration.
The final artist to hop into the spotlight was
J-Zone
- DJ, producer, freelance writer, comedic hip hop storyteller, and CEO of
Old Maid Entertainment
-, who showcased his newest album
Chief Chinchilla: Live @ the Liqua Sto
. The LP is produced entirely by the man himself, and promotes at least three fake malt liquors (“Pimp Potion,” feat.
Celph Titled
, “Hillbilly Beer” feat.
Jethro the Rappin’ Redneck
, and “Calvin’s Hard Lemonade” feat.
Breeze Brewin
’ of the
Juggaknots
). The beats knock, but the stories, voiceovers and snippets are laugh-out-loud hilarious. As J-Zone simultaneously rejoices in and denounces the effects of items from the liquor store, the album is sure to provoke both laughter and thought.
