MESTIZO & Controller 7 Join Forces for Collaborative Album Couch with Jason Jagel-designed Alt. Cover (Grey Carpet Records)

MESTIZO & Controller 7 - Couch "Fan Art" CREDIT: Jason Jägel (@jagel)

MESTIZO & Controller 7 are two Underground/Indie Hip-Hop luminaries, who have now teamed up to self-release a collaborative 10-track album entitled Couch. Emcee MESTIZO, a Fake Four, Inc. affiliate, has released music with A7PHA (doseone,) Free The Robots, The Heavy Twelves, Mike Gao, k-the-i??? Meaty Orge, MURS, and Isaiah Toothtaker. Beat-maker Controller 7, a one-time anticon. affiliate, has contributed production work for projects attributed to Atmosphere, Deep Puddle Dynamics, Sage Francis, sole, Themselves (doseone & JEL,) and Third Sight. Upon Couch's initial release a few weeks ago, I decided to reach out to Controller 7 on a whim, via email, who told me he and MESTIZO are, actually, friends-of-friends and despite working together, have never met in-person. In addition to having doseone as a mutual collaborator, Controller 7 & MESTIZO "met" through producer Meaty Orge, who released BARBEQUE. part 1 with MESTIZO in 2019.

Controller 7 tells us he reached out to Meaty Orge about connecting with MESTIZO after hearing they recorded BARBEQUE. part 1 in a matter of days; "that got me fired up. I've spent the majority of my music making days overthinking things. I was blown away that they did something in two days." Controller 7 soon sent MESTIZO a Direct Message and they agreed to make a song together, but once C7's juices got flowing and he got back into making and constructing beats again, he had a whole album's-worth of material before he knew it. Can you image how surprised MESTIZO must have been, who still though he was just getting one song, received damn near a whole album's-worth of beats from Controller 7!!? The album we're now so fortunate to have in our possession, Couch, is chock-full of dusty Boom-Bap leaning beats, vocal samples, interludes, and, of course, stone cold rhymes. Couch boasts just one lone featured artist, Controller 7 collaborator, DJ D-Styles from Third Sight providing scratches on near-album closer, "PROMISED LAND."

And yes, if you're wondering, that is, indeed, a picture of a "street" couch on Couch's album cover! Controller 7 says, "when I was working on beats, I walked by a couch on the street and took a photo. I was thinking about album art and it jumped out at me. I was feeling pretty grim about the world; politics and the environment, just things in general are kinda grim." Amidst the current state of the world, during this Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic, Controller 7 explains, "it applies even more these days. The world is beyond understanding at this moment. I kinda rushed to release it, but it felt like there's no point in waiting anymore and now is as good a time as ever to listen to it." Above, you will see a quasi-alt. cover, or self-described "fan art" created by world-renown Stones Throw & Now-Again Records-affiliated artist Jason Jagel. You can learn a bit more about Jägel's re-designed alt. cover, which may be used for an upcoming vinyl pressing of Couch, below. MESTIZO & Controller 7's Couch is now available to purchase on Bandcamp (along with the instrumentals!) or on your preferred digital streaming service of choice.

"This is so amazing to me. I am a huge fan of @jagel and the fact that he made this self-described "fan art" and sent me a very complimentary message, totally made my day. You, likely, know Jason Jagel's work from some of DOOM's albums and other @stonesthrow & @nowagain releases. He's got murals around SF, one in the SFO Airport and he posts amazing little pieces frequently. His dad, also, did super-iconic album covers for John Coltrane & Ornette Coleman. This completely made my day. Be well, everyone. And reach out to people. It's amazing who you can connect with, if you just try. Couch started with a random DM on Instagram. Thank you, @jagel. This is amazing..."

- Controller 7 (@controllerseven)

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

All-around Breakdown: Sean Martin Discusses Debut Instrumental EP Introducing The Magician As No More Magic (Residual Effects)

Sean Martin is a multi-versed musician, producer, and tattooer hailing from Connecticut. As a guitarist, song-writer, and/or producer he has worked with a variety of well-known artists including Hatebreed, Cold Cave, Wear Your Wounds, Umbra Vitae, Twitching Tongues, Cage, Kid Cudi, House of Blow, Head Automatica, XO Skeletons, Jet Fueled Horses, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and more. His versatility and flexibility within music allows him to blur the lines in-between the confines of Hardcore, Electronic, Metal, and Hip-Hop. Martin is, also, a skilled tattooer at Brass City Tattoo located in Oakville, Connecticut promoting the traditional approach to the craft. Founded by Martin himself between 2020-22, No More Magic combines ominous melodies with downtempo beats to create a dizzying dream-like atmosphere. Paying homage to the golden era of Hip-Hop while forging ahead down its own dark road. For fans of Portishead, Massive Attack, and DJ Shadow. No More Magic's Introducing The

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