Shouts to everyone I ran into out there, way too many to name, but eventually I’ll try and name them all. And of course shouts to the man of the evening Dallas Penn, king of the Internets. Did Dallas come up with the word internets?

Just happened to get the heads up about this last night from the homies at Subconcious Threads. They told me that Raekwon The Chef one of the original 9 members of Wu-Tang is a big fan of the Y&I tee that I designed with them, and asked for the shirt in each color. Peep him rockin the Cranberry in this Youtube video where he talks about Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II

LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdTek50TELk

Hit the jump for some more screenshots:

ESSO – Despicable E: LINK: http://usershare.net/8iyydyil7mq3

(Hit the jump for the lyrics)

I mean I called it so I had to deliver
put it on my own shoulders now I gotta get it up
3rd set on my bench press
back in the gym yall niggas aint seen shit yet

we half way into E009,
this was all by design, the year so mine
you cant match my grind, nor match my mind
jus admit it’s my time

I aint got a major cosign, I’m jus my own gold mine
work hard for it like a west virginia coalminer
this is New York Post-Modern
Basquiat caliber scribble I’m so Gotham

like the Yankee interlocking NY
that I rock wit every outfit or kick that I buy
ha, so say hello to the bad guy
u need people like me despicable am I?

its no time to lose right now’s time to move
I cant stop 4 u I got 2 much to do
album to finish up deals to negotiate
passports to stamp, rare shit to locate

shows to tear down and more tracks to write to
dont see my family as much as I’d like to
but they know what I strive for, they feel me tho
so dont take it personal and call me despicable

Yea it’s comin, thas right it’s comin
how you blame me? I aint know that was comin
I was hurt prolly more than you think
couldnt sleep that night, I resorted to drink

but maybe this is somethin bigger than me
if it is if it aint, shit I guess we’ll see
August 10th, I guess that’s me
it’s a brand new day in the NYC HELLO!

This is one of the hardest things that I’ve ever had to do in my career. I was scheduled to announce this project on Wednesday of this week, but in light of Michael’s passing on Thursday Woody & I feel like the world needs to know what we’ve been working on for the last few months and why this has been so hard for me to deal with. I’ve been recording my own version of MJ’s Off The Wall album for the last few months now in honor of it’s 30th Anniversary which is on August 10th, and will release it 30 years to the day his original album came out.

We actually completed the project before his passing, and will not change the date to even 1 day earlier given the signifigance of August 10th as the 30th Anniversary of the release of the original Off The Wall album in 1979.

The First Single off the Project is “Dont Stop” which samples “Dont Stop Til You Get Enough” which is actually the first song on the album. Here’s the link:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/62009300c2583375/

Please see the video as we have included snippets of a few of the songs also and if you have any questions please feel free to let me know.

I also made a statement regarding Mike’s passing on Thursday if you’d like to refer back to that here’s the link: http://theessoexperience.com/2009/06/25/rest-in-peace-michael-jackson-long-live-the-king-of-pop/

Thanks,
ESSO

The XXL 2010 Conversation

Has Donny Goines Gone Hollywood?

Cortez, Charlie Clips, Donny Goines & ESSO Cipher

Shouts to PDA & Mike Waxx, AC, Harlem’s Cash, Nero & J Conway

LINK: http://usershare.net/x3qvwwepteyy

For those bemoaning the death of the New York sound, Esso’s Lifestyles Of The Young And Ignorant will provide a welcome dose of East Coast Hip-Hop. Sonically indebted to Premo and Pete Rock, tracks such as the Frequency-produced opener “Change Your Life” features the jazzy piano loops and snappy rhythms that embodied 90s NYC. The sonic style, repeated on the majority of the brief six track EP meshes well with Esso’s easy flow on the microphone—he never changes his intensity whether joking about girls or analyzing his past mistakes.

It helps that his words are worth listening to. Despite the album’s title, many of the songs show a lyrical depth devoid of ignorance. “Nicotine,” frankly examines his bad habit while slyly hinting at the societal stresses that may be the root cause of all of our smoking. (ed. Note: The Smoking Section supports all smoking and cig-related habits.) “Doin it Again,” appropriately co-opts a soulful beat for Esso to reminisce on a past flame and share his feelings with the listener. Even tracks of generic and sometimes questionable subject matter, such as “Living Doll’s tale of a groupie gone awry, are executed with skill and intelligence.

What Esso lacks is the charisma to carry off the more boisterous songs. The blasting bass and high hat of “Young & Ignorant“ should get the party started, but Esso can’t fully commit to the track—he sounds more comfortable reading from his book of rhymes than rocking the club. Depending on Esso’s goals, this may hinder or help him. Is he content to have an underground following who will appreciate his aptitude at what is now a niche genre, or can he show the diversity to appeal to all Hip-Hop fans? Only time, and perhaps a full length album, will tell.

Shouts are in order to the homie Amanda Diva who invited me to be a part of her video for “Neon” Shoutouts to Donny Goines, Nero, Noemad, Isis, and everyone else who was a part of the shoot.

Hit the break for a free download of Amanda’s latest project “Spandex, Rhymes & Soul”

“Neon” is Amanda’s first single from her FreEP: Spandex, Rhymes & Soul (Free Download).

Also check out her new site at www.AmandaDiva.com

Shouts to Amanda’s legs for starring on the EP cover and in the video…owwwwww haha!

This is the beginning of my Evolution right here. Pieces of the album that I was previously working on previous to me really finding my new sound which is directing my debut album EVOLVED that I hope to put out before the end of the year. But to understand how I got there, you have to understand where I started from. With that said, I present to you:

Lifestyles of the Young & Ignorant (link)

Enjoy.

-E

Links to some of the Blogs supporting the Lifestyles of the Young & Ignorant:

http://nahright.com/news/2009/05/07/esso-lifestyles-of-the-young-ignorant-ep/

http://2dopeboyz.okayplayer.com/2009/05/07/esso-lifestyles-of-the-young-ignorant-free-ep/

http://content.onsmash.com/archives/17582

http://pinboardblog.com/2009/05/08/esso-lifestyles-of-the-young-ignorant-ep/

http://looseneck.com/main/2009/05/07/esso-lifestyles-of-the-young-ignorant-ep/