The Witzard

DOOM REgulator painting (ART CREDIT: Ryan Callisto @moonofjupiterart) Operation Ivy—often, affectionately know as simply "Op Ivy" —were only active for two years in-between 1987-89, but have remined one of the most influential Ska Punk/Hardcore eevr since their all too brief tenture. Op Ivy's Lint AKA Tim Armstrong and Matt McCall AKA Matt Freeman would go on to play in Rancid together, who are still actively recording and touring some 32 years later. Armstrong and Op Ivy vocalist Jesse Michaels briefy reunited in 2013 on a song called "Living In A Dangerous Land" as part of his extensive Tim Timebomb & Friends singles series and again in 2022 to play a rendition of "Sound System" as backed by The Interrupters at Musack's Rock "N" Roll Carnival. Armstrong & Michaels additionally co-wrote a handful of songs together for UK Punks Grade 2, which appeared strewn across Graveyard Island , Graveyard Island: Acoustic Sessions, and Gr...

Nate Patrin Author Photo (CREDIT: Craig VanDerSchaegen) "So, I put together a [playlist] that comprises my favorite moments of Hip-Hop & Punk intersecting, intentionally or otherwise, from the old school to the current moment. It ranges from Downtown NYC Crossover efforts to sample flips to all-out collabos, and spans a broad range of both genres—so, it's more of a historical overview, than a cohesive snapshot of a particular sound. That said, I f**k with each and every one of these songs, 100%." With The Quickness #7: Nate Patrin's Adidas In The Pit/Punk Meets Hip-Hop Playlist 01. The Clash - "This Is Radio Clash" Samples: J. Bodewalt Lampe - "Mysterioso Pizzicato" 02. ESG - "UFO" Sampled By: The Notorious B.I.G. J Dilla, Big Daddy Kane, MF DOOM, Q-Tip, Public Enemy, Nine Inch Nails, and more 03. Liquid Liquid - "Cavern" Sampled By: Grand Master Melle Mel, Guru, Doug E. Fresh, The Notorious B.I.G. 2 Live Cr...

It's almost hard to believe that chef-turned rapper Action Bronson 's independently pressed Dr. Lecter album was already released nearly four years ago. He's somehow managed to unknowingly charm over middle [white] America , whilst rapping almost exclusively about fine dining, pro wrestling, sexual exploits, and drug trade. My beautiful girlfriend and I have been lucky enough to witness Bronson's charismatic stage show twice thus far, on the 2 High 2 Die Tour alongside Danny Brown & Trash Talk and as part of the XXL Freshmen 2013 Tour with Joey Bada$$ & Big K.R.I.T ... both ahead of the release of his Blue Chips 2 mixtape, which is quite arguably his most cohesive body of work yet. While we're still patiently waiting for Action Bronson 's long-rumored VICE Records debut, tentatively titled "Mr. Wonderful," Spanish production duo Cookin' Soul recently concocted an unofficial remix of Dr. Lecter stand-out, "Get Off My P.P....

While it might not exactly be the righteous ear-piercing RAGER you'd expect from a Trash Talk/Flatbush Zombies team-up, "97.92" is a pretty legit-sounding thankfully Nü-Metal -less Rock -tinged Hip-Hop banger; frontman @LeeSpielman notes that it's first-time beat-maker(s) and fellow bandmate " Garrett [Stevenson] and Kellen on the beat." Even though Trash Talk are signed to Odd Future Records , they really haven't dabbled too much into Hardcore Punk/Hip-Hop hybrids, aside from two Spielman-assisted tracks on Hodgy Beats' quick-strike Untitled EP 2 (2013). Stereogum premiered "97.92" mid-Monday morning, which Trash Talk & Flatbush Zombies collectively recorded together at Converse 's own Williamsburg -based Rubber Tracks studio recently. If The Internet -propelled rumor-mill is to be believed, both groups are currently working on new music; Flatbush Zombies leaked a new track, "LiT" from their upcoming I...

Leading up to it's 9pm/12 midnight (eastern) online debut Monday night, "Tamale" was being billed as "A VISUAL INTERPRETATION OF TYLER'S MIND." What ended up coming out is a pretty trippy music video, especially from a guy who's supposedly drug and alcohol free; once again, directed under Tyler The Creator 's oft-used Wolf Haley alias, "Tamale" features quick-strike cameos from Pharrell , Trash Talk frontman Lee Spielman , Shane Powers, and Odd Future affiliate Lucas Vercetti . Tyler The Creator was seemingly inspired by Diplo 's TWERK-friendly brand of Dubstep , "Bubble Butt" in particular. He's seen bouncing on model Bria Myles' butt like a trampoline in one brightly colored scene... we also see a real-life recreation of one of WOLF 's 2 alt. covers, some hi-jinx on a golf course, Tyler riding a giant kitty, underwater pool aerobics, Chappelle -reminiscent "white face," and blurred scenes that...

While last week's "new track" turned out to be a fraudulent remix, Action Bronson has since teamed up with beat-maker Beautiful Lou and Twitter persona/rapper RiFF RAFF ; "Long Pinky" is the final track in Adult Swim 's summer-long singles series, which will be re-upped online for FREE come Monday. RiFF RAFF recently described himself in 140 characters or less, of course, as: "AN ALL-AMERiCAN ALL-STAR... iF U DONT LiKE HiM, THEN U WiLL BE FORCED iNTO EXiLE iN GUAM & EAT EXPiRED GOAT MiLK FOREVER." Action Bronson & RiFF RAFF previously traded bars on the Harry Fraud -produced "Bird On a Wire" (2012) and RiFF RAFF had a brief cameo appearance in Bronson's blistering VICE Records -backed "Strictly 4 My Jeeps" video-single. While this time around, it was kitty [pryde] 's former collaborator Beautiful Lou who reunited the 2 rapping friends, they'll be appearing together on Diplo 's upcoming Re...

Now that his long-delayed Fool's Gold debut, OLD , finally has a proper release date (Sept. 30th), Danny Brown has unleashed it's Dirt McGirt -referencing lead video-single, "ODB." The self-proclaimed "dirty old man with a pill in his mouth and his dick in his hand" skillfully recruited frequent collaborator Paul White and [director] RUFFMERCY for "ODB," as well as A$AP Rocky , Purity Ring, Charli XCX , Freddie Gibbs, ScHoolboy Q , Rustie, A-Trak , and SKYWLKR, who also contributed to OLD 's currently unspecified tracklist. Let's just fuggedabout Kendrick Lamar 's recent #rapgame-rattling verse on Big Sean left-over "Control," Danny Brown easily out-raps and most likely terribly embarrasses nearly 3/4's of Hip-Hop 's so-called "top emcees," usually over jittery almost un-rappable Electro-Trap beats. Danny Brown and his genre-blending buddies Action Bronson & Trash Talk are soon headed out o...

"Goodbye" and "Wicked" are comfortably nestled towards the tail-end of Hodgy Beats' just-released 7-song EP, Untitled 2 ; More often than not, this type of blatant Hip-Hop/Punk Rock fusion are relegated to cheesy one-off single status. But it sounds like MellowHype & Trash Talk are planning something a little more long-term: "No one knows about it. That shit is on the super-low," Hodgy Beats told Red Bull , referencing an upcoming album. "We spent last week [April] jamming and shit, finishing up writing and stuff," added Trash Talk bassist Spencer Pollard . Looks like "Goodbye/Wicked" are amongst the first tracks culled from those very sessions, while a full joint Odd Future Records -backed album still lacks any sort of solid release date. Honestly, "Goodbye" is my personal favourite of the 2 and man, it's one Hell of a brooding, heavy, Lee Spielman -assisted, guitar-filled closing track. It's a dam...

Maybe Earl Sweatshirt really was locked up in a Samoan juvenile detention center from 2010-12 or maybe he was just "chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool" for a while. Whatever the real deal was, Odd Future 's 19-year-old protegee is back and after a string of non-album loosies, he's finally prepping his long-awaited sophomore album. Doris is rumored to feature production work from Pharrell , Flying Lotus , BADBADNOTGOOD , Samiyam, The Alchemist , Christian Rich... and guest vocals/instrumentals from Thundercat , Frank Ocean, DOOM , Om'mas Keith, Action Bronson , and his fellow Odd Future cohorts. Earl Sweatshirt quietly released "WHOA" late Monday-Tuesday night and eventually proceeded to break The Internet; Tyler, The Creator contributes a few ferocious bars, as well as directorial duties [Wolf Haley] for it's terribly AWESOME zonked out music video. I mean, getting introspective and deep is cool and all... But I can really...

Hardcore Punk is one of the few genres that's never really has any of those cliche, defining "mainstream success" moments and maybe that's what's kept Hardcore so independent since it's late 1970-80's inception. Forget about Pop Punk bands like Blink-182 , Sum 41 , Green Day , etc... who I know and love, too. But that's definitely a different kind of slightly pussified, manufactured brand of Punk . Genre-shaping bands like Black Flag , The Misfits, Minor Threat (Fugazi) , and Descendents were the closest prize-winning champs ever got to early Jersey/LA Hardcore success stories. Forget about all those damn cash cow Hot Topic re-issues, too. Go return that shit, man! Trash Talk are a bi-racial Hardcore Punk band hailing from Sacramento, CA who just might have the POWER/balls to become the genre's first real "mainstream success." Lee Spielman, Garrett Stevenson, Spencer Pollard , and Sam Bosson just signed a record deal with Tyler...