VIDEO: Duo Live - Shootin' ft Billionz, Joell Ortiz, Red Cafe & M.O.P

VIDEO: Joell Ortiz - Memories

Directed by Rik Cordero.

LISTEN: Joell Ortiz - Memories

DOWNLOAD Joell Ortiz - Memories (MP3)

Hot new Joell Ortiz off of Free Agent.

Via OnSmash

LISTEN: Joell Ortiz - Summertime In Brooklyn

DOWNLOAD Joell Ortiz - Summertime in Brooklyn (MP3)

I love all the little details about the neighborhoods, especially mine (Bushwick). Over two beats, one of which is DJ Premier's 'A Million and One Questions' beat of Jay-Z fame.

Eskay, who I jacked for this MP3, posting I'm claims: Summertime anywhere in NYC > Wherever you are. Except maybe Miami. Ya’ll got that. I'm going to passionately and respectfully disagree lol. The city sweats out all the dirt and shit that builds up over the course of a year and spits it out on its people. It's disgusting. But, I still love it anyway.

LISTEN: J The S - Do You ft. Joell Ortiz & Lee Wilson

DOWNLOAD J The S - Do You ft. Joell Ortiz & Lee Wilson (MP3)

Boston's J The S brings in Brooklyn's Joell Ortiz to beast out on this soulful beat. Dope vintage feel.

LISTEN: Fokis - Pandemonium feat Joell Ortiz

DOWNLOAD Fokis - Pandemonium feat Joell Ortiz

"It was a great working with Joell Ortiz, he is very talented and one of my favorite new artists of today. I had the pleasure of working with Joell Ortiz a few years ago as an engineer, recording one of his songs. Now I got to work with him as a rapper on my new single and that feels great." - Fokis

Joell Ortiz rips it per usual. Fokis semi-quotes Joell with his "nothing short of amazing" line. Fokis also apparently has no visual identity. No photos to be found anywhere.

LISTEN: Sav Killz - Comin' To Kill ft. Sean Price & Rustee Juxx

DOWNLOAD Sav Killz - Comin' To Kill ft. Sean Price & Rustee Juxx (MP3)

Endemic produced this track off of DJ J-Ronin/DJ Snips All Elements Vol. 9 which is hosted by Joell Ortiz.

LISTEN: Joell Ortiz - A Message to Obama

DOWNLOAD Joell Ortiz - A Message to Obama (MP3)

Recorded as part of the Russell Simons/Green Lantern/Obama mixtape that's coming soon to inspire the streets. Next, the Huckabee blues grass/country music mixtape.

Props to Eskay for the mp3.

CONTEST: Joell Ortiz @ S.O.B.s Tickets (NYC)

Alright, alright, so one quick post before I leave. Rookie of the year 2007 Mr. Joell Ortiz will be performing at the venerable S.O.B.'s April 8th starting at 7pm with a bunch of special guests in the up-and-coming category including Skyzoo. Tickets will be $15 in advance, $18 day of (available at ticketmaster and the S.O.B.s box office), and for free right here. Well, 2 pairs that is. Yes sir, SDSU will be giving away two pairs of free tickets to what is sure to be a spectacular show.

WHAT TO DO TO WIN Write me at wes[AT]liberatedmatter[DOT]com (subject line: JOELL ORTIZ) and answer the following three questions:
1. Who's your favorite underground and/or unsigned MC?
2. What is your hometown?
3. What would be a reasonable price for a digital download Hip Hop album if you were to purchase one? (Check the wording, free is not an option in this scenario.)

Two entries will be randomly selected and notified in about a week.

LISTEN: Joell Ortiz - Here, The Next ft. Novel

DOWNLOAD Joell Ortiz - Here, The Next ft. Novel (MP3)

Produced by Statik Selektah, mostly known to me for working with one of the other most interesting rookies of 2007, Termanology. Excellent narrative.

VIDEO: Joell Ortiz Interviewed By Miss Info

LISTEN: Big Noyd - Ghetto ft. Joell Ortiz + Snitches

DOWNLOAD Big Noyd - Ghetto ft. Joell Ortiz (MP3)


Big Noyd isn't going to have many tracks left to sell off of his new album Illustrious is he keeps going at this pace. After dropping a video for 'Things Done Changed' (watch here | download mp3), and leaking 'Money' (download here) there's two new tracks courtesy of Spine Mag. Download 'Ghetto' featuring Joell Ortiz above, or stream it in the SDSU player. Then go over to Spine Mag to download 'Snitches'. Joell kills it per usual.

NEWS: Joell Ortiz Speaks On What Makes Brooklyn Special

I just found this Joell Ortiz comment on the competitive nature of Brooklynites so on point. From his recent Unkut interview.


Unkut: What is it about Brooklyn cats that makes you guys stand out?
Joell Ortiz: You know what it is, man? The competitive nature, that’s just different in itself. Not just music, you understand? I could just be standing in a store and be like “Oh, dude tries to crush his outfit? Man, he can’t dress better than me. What is this guy? Crazy?” We’re competitive down to the littlest things. “Oh, that’s the potato chips that dudes is eating now? Them shit’s is corny, man” [laughs] We’re just competitive about the littlest shit, so with music we over-critique ourselves. I guess that’s why sometimes the product sounds the way it sounds, or may come across the way it comes across, ‘cos we’re so hard on ourselves out here in Brooklyn. (Read full interview here.

VIDEO: Joell Ortiz - Ups And Downs

2007's rookie of the year Joell Ortiz hooked up with the new director of the year Rik Cordero for 'Ups And Downs'.

LISTEN: Termanology - The Music Industry

DOWNLOAD Termanology - The Music Industry (MP3)


Termanology needs to come out and pull a Joell Ortiz in 2008.

VIDEO: KRS-One Co-Signs Joell Ortiz

KRS-One puts it in no uncertain terms and co-signs Joell Ortiz strongly. Much deserved.

VIDEO: Novel - Hit Em With The Shottie ft. Joell Ortiz

DOWNLOAD Statik Selektah - 6 In The Morning ft. Joell Ortiz, Kool G. Rap & Sheek Louch (MP3)

Joell Ortiz will be just fine without Aftermath. Above a stand out track featuring Joell, Kool G. Rap and Sheek Louch from the new Statik Selektah throwback album Spell My Name Right: The Album. Below another vintage Rik Cordero production below for Novel's 'Hit Em With The Shottie' featuring Joell. I think I'm going to try to insert the phrase 'Hit Em With The Shottie' into as many conversations as I can and attempt mainstream culture penetration. It could become the new 'bling bling'. In my dreams at least.

NEWS: Joell Ortiz Not Wanted On Aftermath?

XXL talked to Joell Ortiz who says that Jimmy Iovine wants him gone from Aftermath. Check out a video interview here. I'm not going to say I told you so, but this will turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

VIDEO: Smif N Wessun - Stomp ft. Rock & Joell Ortiz

Ah man, this is making me sentimental. Smif N Wessun are still bringing that raw New York rap with 'Stomp' featuring Rock and Joell Ortiz. Great track that for some reason I can't help but hear Biggie Smalls pre-verse mic check sounds over as I wait for him to come in.

VIDEO: Joell Ortiz - 125 Grams (Pt. 4)

Joell Ortiz delivers part 4 of '125 Grams'. Straight from Bushwick, where this blogger resides as well, into the world. Hopefully we'll get plenty of independent stuff out of Joell before that Aftermath album that won't drop for another 7 years.


Spotted at Nahright.