One week after the good folks at Flawless Hustle dropped the lead single “Cantstandya” featuring Von Pea of Tanya Morgan and NYC buzz artist Sene, the entire compilation is upon us.  And Beat Garden is well represented! 

Click the here for the full tracklisting, plus you’ll be able to stream each joint.  Us and the homies are represented on these joints:

“Phil Jackson aka Winning Time” (prod by Zilla Rocca)-Al Mighty f/ Zilla Rocca, Has-Lo

“Shark Shit” (prod by Mute)-Al Mighty

“Eviction Notice” (prod by Barry Bombsqad)-Curly Castro

“These Words Here” (prod by Has-Lo)-MAGr

“52 Bars” (prod by Zilla Rocca)-Zilla Rocca

GO GET EM!!!

Press release:

Never taking any days off, Flawless Hustle is back less than four months after the release of the critically-acclaimed Money Isn’t Real compilation with another dip into the money pit of true Hip-Hop, entitled Stay Flawless. The first single from this project is a dream and a treat – Sene and Von Pea linked up for some serious fury, trading verses over a head-nodding, string-driven banger. Blaze an L of that good, throw your hoodie on and tell them fake niggas in your world what you really feel about them. Perfect kiss-off for a new year. Nice guys finish last, hustlers keep it movin’… Flawless.

Stay Flawless also features: Prince Po, Jake One, Madlib, L.I.F.E. Long, D.Black, Vanderslice, Al Mighty, Zilla Rocca, Has-Lo, SK, Curly Castro, Chill Moody, IllumiNessence, and many more.

In conjunction with our brother from another mother site 33jones.com, Clean Guns (Nico the Beast + Zilla Rocca) is gearing up to drop their first project in almost three years (check the catalogue on CD Baby, suckas!). 

In honor of the east coast hip hop institution that is the Wu-Tang Clan, Clean Guns & 33jones.com are partnering up for the recreation project titled One in the 36th Chamber.  Instead of rapping over classic Shaolin instrumentals, producers are remaking Wu joints from the highly publicized (“Criminology”, “Bring the Pain”) to the slept-on (Inspectah Deck’s “Elevation”, Raekwon’s “Jury”). 

Before the full project is released for free download, 33jones.com will be leaking some promo cuts of Clean Guns going in on Wu-Tang instrumentals.  This week we have Nico the Beast putting a hurtin’ on “Triumph”. 

Look, listen, and observe Nico’s 5 minute plus freestyle at 33jones.com.

Artwork by Objektiv One

The EP is coming y’all…

Until then, two more Shadowboxer cuts made the Top 100 tracks of 2009 at the almighty conglomerate that is Bloggerhouse. 

The #29 hip hop song of ‘09 is “No Fury (Zilla Rocca Remix)”, which is the first cut off the upcoming Broken Clocks EP.  You can download the track for free via Bloggerhouse.  The #15 song of ‘09 is “Bottomfeeders (Small Professor Remix)”, which you can stream in its entirety and download it (for $1) at the official 5 O’Clock Shadowboxers Bandcamp page, where you can also stream the entire The Slow Twilight LP and read lyrics, interview outtakes, and more.

Shouts to Kane getting his Spielberg on working the camera.  Shouts to the bodega on 8th and Moyamensing for not calling the cops last night. 

Make sure you follow Nico on Twitter too!  If you’re a producer or MC looking to do some work, the man is highly accessible and ready to get it in!

Live at the Tritone in Philadelphia.

Shouts to Official Street Radio for the camera footage.

Follow Big O’s fat ass on Twitter!

Photo by Perry Lassin

For the first time since 2005, Nico the Beast slowed the assembly line of punishing, technically flawless lines released on a consistent basis to his growing fanbase.  A near fatal car crash in April of 2009, which resulted in the loss of a dear friend, put Nico in a temporary holding pattern.  Nonetheless, five days after the accident and not even two days home from the hospital, he was back on stage with one good leg supporting him, wowing the Philadelphia hip hop community through sheer will. 

The message was clear: not even a brief visit with death would stop him from his passion.  

Barely a month after the accident, he was performing in Miami with The Rap Pack and flew home just in time to witness the birth of his third child and first son Domenic Zarrella Jr.  Though the physical and psychological toll of the trauma hadn’t worn off from the crash, a new child appeared to bring light to a rebuilding man.

Sadly, Domenic Zarrella Jr. passed away without warning, not even 8 weeks old, from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). We all stopped everything.  Suddenly, music meant nothing.  It still has been hard to stay motivated because all our hearts and prayers are with the entire Zarrella family almost five months later. 

Photo by Liz Padova

But the Beast survives and endures.  Though he’s been relatively quiet to the public, he has been laboring away in the studio as always, for therapeutic purposes, sure, but also to prove something: he is never satisfied.  Even recently, before Christmas, another close friend of his passed away prematurely from a rare heart disease (RIP Jamal Thomas).  Death keeps calling, but Nico keeps walking. He has no other choice but to shine for himself, his family, and his close friends who have held him down for years.   

These few tracks give you an idea of what happened recently, and is what happening next to South Philly’s finest rhymer:

Never Stop (prod by Korn Swagger) : A call to arms, a future showstopper, dare we say “anthem” produced by iStandard Producer finalist Korn Swagger of North Philadelphia.

Make Believe ft. Vixion  (prod by Vanderslice) : An introspective converstaion with God on the past year, the aftermath of tragedy still in his sights, with an accent of Vixion on the hook.  Produced by industry vet Vanderslice.

Wake The Beast (prod by Vanderslice) : Right for the jugular.  No bones about it — just vicious “come see me” ish.  Don’t wake a sleeping giant, nor a beast. 

Golden ft. Vixion (prod by Stupid Genius) : An uptempo potential crossover song warning current rappers to stay honest rather than exaggerate to get on.  Produced by iStandard Producer vet Stupid Genius of Miami, who also handled “It’s Your Choice” from No Beast So Fierce.

We at Beat Garden THANK YOU for all the well wishes, prayers, and donations made to the Zarrella family and for your continued support of Nico the Beast’s music.  Make sure you follow Nico on Twitter and check out his Reverb Nation page for more new music!

Artwork by Objektiv 1

Some goodies for you today from 2 of Beat Garden’s new generals, both featured on the esteemed 2DopeBoyz.com

First up is the cut “What is it Good For?”, an exclusive non-mixtape cut from Curly Castro featuring Rockness Monstah of Heltah Skeltah and Inglish:  2dopeboyz link   |   usershare link

Castro will be dropping some more goodies and remixes very very shortly to keep up the good fight for Phatman & Likkle Bwoy Mixtape via Beat Garden & RockTheDub (still available to your upper right)

And make sure you follow the neighborhood rebel on Twitter RIGHT NOW!

Next up is the stand out single “Laminated Looseleafs” featuring Blu from MAGr’s debut album No News is Good News via RockTheDub as well.  Beat Garden fam-a-lam Small Professor took a stab at it.  Buttery and haunting results follow.

MAGr (Al Mighty & Distant Starr) f/ Blu “Laminated Looseleafs (Small Professor Remix)”  2dopeboyz link  |  usershare link

Al Mighty is finishing up his Beat Garden/RTD debut The Agony of Deceit LP with beats and rhymes from Nico the Beast, Fel Sweetenberg, Small Professor, Has-Lo, Zilla Rocca, and more.  Stay tuned!

Photo by SnapKracker

Why they wanna wake the Beast?

Here are some photos from the extravanganza that was the Release!!!!! All Photos by Liz Padova. To see the full compliment go to her Flickr page…Thank you Phimm-matic !

The BombMakers- dj Ambush & Curly Castro

Who Wanna Bleached Cannon? Go and get A CLEAN GUN(s)!!!!

the Lord's Souljahs: Society Park!!

Don't phuck with Castro or the PHATMAN!!!! dj Ambush

dj Deuce was jack of all trades that night...

Fat Ni-Dice!!!! on the M.I.C. !!84!!

Peace to the Gods, Raskull of Magnum O!!!

It's the nu Medgar Ev!!! Curly Castro

Ethel Cee, hostess with the most-ess and a whole lot more!!!!

Ra the One Sun Lion prowlin' from the cut.

• Also be on the lookout for the Double Warhead Deluxe reissue of the Phatman & Likkle bwoy mixtape with remixes prod. by Has-Lo, Zilla Rocca, Jawnzap 7, & feat. Verso (as Verse mega Flanders,lol!!). Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support…1ne L. ~ Castro