New Balance Fall '07 Releases

I just took a look at the New Balance Fall/Winter 2007 releases that have been posted at Overkill Berlin.

Here is a more detailed pic of the New Balance "Ndividual" project. Note the "N" text within the replaceable "N" logo. It's growing on me I have to admit.

They received a nice M576 with great brown leather and gold applications.

They also got two fresh WRC574 lady sneakers - one black with woven multicolored upper (kinda like your grandma's couch material) and lacquer “N”-logo; another one with bone white suede upper and glimmering gold colored material.

In addition New Balance drops two brand new models called H754 that veer dangerously close to an air jordan silhouette if Air Jordan made a hiking boot...or something. They feature waterproofed leather uppers and special lacing. The "N" logo is part of the mid material which is a new twist for NB. Not sure what I think of 'em yet but New Balance always keeps it movin' forward.

Overkill always has the dope New Balance releases.

Other Music I'm Listening To

Hope you all had a nice 3 day weekend. How 'bout some music???

It's come to my attention that it may seem as if all I listen to or check for or enjoy is hip hop music. Nothing could be further from the truth. I, in fact, love all different kinds of music. With that in mind let me put some shine on some CDs that've been in my player for a minute. It's been a lotta female artists lately. Maybe because there are so few women in hip hop these days...

Vedera (formerly Veda)- "The Weight Of An Empty Room"

The Falling Kind



My not so guilty pleasure is female fronted indie rock bands from the 90's. I love The Blake Babies, The Cranberries, 10,000 maniacs, Sinead O'Connor, The Sundays, Belly, Aimee Mann and all that stuff. So a band like Kansas City's Vedera is gonna quickly rocket into my most played list because Kristin May and her band obviously came up on these very same bands. They do add a little something extra with Kristin's crystalline, and searingly powerful, vocal delivery and Brian Little's almost U2-like effected guitar dynamics. Anthemic deliberations on heartache, relationships (both beginning and ending) are at the core of the album. As my friend Mudd so correctly points out on a regular basis, Kansas City does not let a mediocre band out on the road. Both live and on record Vedera is a captivating experience. I can't wait for their next album!! They have apparently signed with Epic so here's hoping that a big label knows how to work them properly and they get a chance to really shine.

Download "Trade This Fear"

The Forecast - "In The Shadow Of Two Gunmen"



Now here is a band for long road trips and whiskey soaked nights. They're from Peoria, Illinois (a little farm town that I spent my childhood summers in, visiting relatives, and attempting to stave off boredom) but don't hold that against 'em. One of the tightest rhythm sections in indy rock music today. Seriously, like metronome precision. Driving guitars, equal parts earnest and soaring vocals about love, loss and the joys and pains of traveling the open road in a van with your friends. I am constantly reminded of another Illinois band, Pegboy. But the Forecast is no knock off. Original and exciting with just that perfect sense of world weary melancholy that you might not expect in a band so young. They'd tour with Murder By Death and Brazil in my perfect world.

Download "A Fist Fight For Our Fathers"

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - "100 Days, 100 Nights"


Now hear is a funk and soul sister number 1!! None of this fake-the-funk, flash-in-the-pan, trend hoppin', Amy Winehouse, bullshit for Ms. Jones. Serious funk from this Augusta, Georgia born, Brooklyn bred lady. After years of non-stop worldwide touring and recording, Sharon Jones and her mighty Dap-Kings give you their finest full-length effort to date. As Sharon says, "If you cant feel the music on this album, then you must be a dead ass!"
Daptone Records releases this album October 8th.

Download "Keep On Looking"


Now go and pick up some of these albums. I really recommend them very highly.

Knobody "Tha Clean-Up" drops sept 18th on Hiero Imperium

Hieroglyphics Imperium has been adding new artists to their roster lately. O.C. was their high profile acquisition but he's no longer alone. Along with former Rhymesayer Musab, and Prince Ali, comes Bay Area rapper Knobody. Knobody came to the attention of Hiero's resident A&R man, veteran MC Casual, at a show that he was performing at in '06, and was signed to the label within weeks.

Download "What U Think"

Knobody's first album on Hiero, "Tha Clean Up," will hit stores on September 18. "Tha Clean-Up" is a heavy hitting, cohesive album that aims to do what a clean-up hitter does on a baseball team: smack some balls out of the park. With featured appearances from the hottest underground rapper in the Bay, Mistah Fab, as well as Casual, Opio, & A-Plus it looks like a guaranteed quality release from the next generation of Hieroglyphics artists.

Grab the album when it drops fools!!
Hit Knobody on Myspace.

More from Hiero coming soon.
tracklisting for the album
01. Message from Quiana(intro)
02. Back
03. Supa ft. Francis S. & Jacoria
04. Im On It ft. Radio
05. Sacrifice ft. G7
06. What U Think ft. Radio
07. I Neva Said ft. Ginger
08. Wrong Clock ft. Mistah F.A.B., A-Plus, Butchie, & Opio
09. On My Job
10. OthaWorld
11. Granted ft. Jacoria
12. Menace
13. tha Caged Bird
Bonus Track: Champion ft. Casual

IN STORES 09/07

Bizzy & Twista "Money"

Chicago emcee Twista (formerly Tung Twista) made his name initially as one of the fastest rappers in the game. He has since moved up into mainstream consciousness (and slowed his flow significantly) with high profile appearances on tracks from R. Kelly (his mainstream breakout appearance), Kanye, Jaime Foxx, Trick Daddy, Lil John, Faith Evans, Mariah Carey, Pharrell etc.

Bizzy (formerly of Bone Thugs & Harmony) also came up as a "fast rapper." His crew popularized the "sing-song rapping" that has been taken to nauseating heights by Nelly and many of his mid-west affiliates. Bizzy was always a little more interesting to me because he married his flow with a nasal delivery that threw his slang into a different range than his partners.

Bizzy has released a single that, I will admit, initially left me with little or no interest.

That's right! I was "PRE-HATING!" I admit it!

The track is called "Money" (wow! such an original concept that's almost never addressed within hip hop ...yeah right!) But damn if they don't both bring it over an extremely ill, synth-guitar driven, mid-tempo, banger. Twista flips back to his old style by speeding through his verse to a hair-raisingly dope snare rolling conclusion.

Seriously, go check out this track. I guarantee it is gonna grow on you.


This is the first single off Bizzy Bone's new album "A Song For You."

Also featured on the album are DMX, Jim Jones, Trina, Lyfe Jennings, Good Charlotte, Chris Notez and more!

Expected October 30, 2007!

Download "Money"

Association Of Freedom "free spirit"

I got this from a Ukrainian cat named Dorofeev Roman. It is some pretty ill instrumental music.


"Association of freedom" was formed in 2005 in Makeyevka, Ukraine. It consists of easterly electronic music. I wanted to pass the spirit of mystery and travel in my track. I also like to explore with different directions. I want that my music can hear people. This is my goal. "

Download "Free Spirit"

New Balance X Hanon M576 "SMU" re-released

Just saw this at the Hanon Shop website...

The original Hanon M576 is back! This is the first ever hanon x New Balance SMU ( Special Make Up) designed and released in 2004.

Assembled at New Balance's renowned UK Flimby factory, our first collaboration featured the classic M576 running shoe remixed with a combination of suede, full grain leather and airflow mesh. We released two styles to an edition of 196 pairs, each featuring notable details such as a contrast white saddle and the now familiar gold 'N.

What is the Vault and what was up with the green colourway?

Initially we designed 3 colourways but due to some difficulty meeting factory minimums, one unfortunately had to go. Reluctantly the green was dropped and only the navy and red were manufactured. However New Balance Japan liked the style so much they took up the production of the green colourway and the shoe was released as a special edition in the Far East. ( subsequent NB SMU's are now produced only once). Upon its launch, sneaker heads across the globe quickly picked up on the 3rd? model, and although never an official hanon release - was out there. The secret colourway!

The Vault.

The Vault includes our 'stash' and a short run of the green model from the allocated release. We opted in to piggy back on the production and pulled some as the style was to be manufactured once only. The opportunity arose to tag on to the line allowing us to hold all of our original colours.

All three can now be released as the original pack and the green ones are back home!

The Launch.

We have a short run of stashed vault stock which will be released this weekend. We dont have many and this is it. The last of them. If you missed out on the original launch in 2004 now is your chance to grab a pair before they disappear into sneaker folklore forever.

Saturday September 8th 2007. Instore from 10am. Up at 1pm (UK).

NEW BALANCE 1500 X SOLEBOX "Toothpaste Pack"

Pictures via Sneaker Freaker of the New Balance x Solebox Toothpaste Pack.

I think these are extremely nice shoes and a little different than both what has been released by New balance and the rest of the shoe companies lately.

The pack consists of two New Balance 1500's, each using a nice mix of premium suede, mesh and patent leather. The details on these are mad hot. I am especially feelin' the gum sole (I'm a sucker for gum sole sneakers!) and the understated use of patent leather. There is still no exact release info, but we'll keep you posted.

New Balance M576 model 25th anniversary

New Balance is celebrating the 25th anniversary for their M576. To start the M576 anniversary celebrations they got together with Atmos from Japan.

This New Balance M576 comes with a mostly black upper, lime green accents, mesh toe box, graphics over the upper, pattern over the back heel, a dope graphic on the tongue, and a custom inner sole design as well.

The sneaker will release on the 7th of September exclusively at Atmos.

New Lil' Mama track "G-slide/tour bus"

Lil' Mama is back with the next single after "Lip Gloss." I'm not feelin' this track as much as "Lip Gloss" but that doesn't mean that a lotta people aren't gonna be "G-slidin'" all Fall...

Download "G-Slide/Tour Bus"