Arse Out....Pass Out Parody (Had to be done really innit!!?)

Be interesting to see what else Kai Beaumont is up to? 

Genesis Elijah - My Truth

Great new track from the man who always tells it how it is; Genesis never fails to bring thought provoking lyrics from the heart....dont sleep this bangs!

Clean Bandit featuring Lily Cole, Fat Gold Chain Live Hip Hop and new music from Booda French!

First up on this marvelous once in every four years day; Fat Gold Chain Presents Oliver Sudden, Jester Jacobs, Ruby Kid and Mister Fox in two hype shows this Spring, get both dates in the diary if you are even remotely near London town! More info and cool stuff at the FGC Facebook pages

I was very excited to hear about this short film recently shown on the UK's Channel Four TV station; a great video for Clean Bandit ft Lily Cole track 'UK Shanty'.....and of course long time Vocalswords/Fat Gold Chain affiliate the one and only Eliza Shaddad! I love this video, one of the most creative things I've seen in a long while, big ups to all involved!


Respect to international hip hop super blog 2dopeboyz for linking up this new gem from Booda French (pka Truth) links with Brown Bag Allstars. I've always been a fan of the mans flow, and here J57 provides the perfect soundscape to Booda's intricate, heart felt ode to his home. A must have go check it over at 2dopeboyz.

 If that lot isnt enough, look out for Smiler's 'All I know' free mixtape....was just wondering before I post it up properly if this is the same Smiler who has worked with Stylah before!? Answers to solocypher@gmail.com to win some random shit from my flat! Peace

February Round Up.....Akala, William Shakespeare, Caxton Press, Kasha Rae, Ed Sheeran, plus Boiler Room Fresh Sesh Underground Hip Hop Cypher...What more could you want!?

February has definitely lived up to its creative potential after the bleak wasteland of January this year; I was very excited to see that London's very own Akala has got himself a well deserved spot on acclaimed acedemic and intellectual lecture circuit run by TED.com. As a fan of Akala's raw, honest and intelligent music, it was great to hear him make some very interesting comparrisions and observations in relation to the works of fellow bard, William Shakespeare.



Caxton Press have been creating no small buzz for themselves on the London hip hop and wider music scene. A collective formed by extremely talented lyracists, this new video showcases thier positive and inventive styles....try to catch them live at a venue near you soon too.


I caught the then plain Kasha down at Nottinghill Arts Club at a very momorable gig. Although his tracks were extremely danceable there was a real passion for rocking the mic, lyracism and an empathetic flair so it's great to see his ground work starting to show dividends with this video alongside Brit smasher Ed Sheeran.


Long time Fat Gold Chain and Vocalswords affiliate Lozza deserves some major props for getting a bunch of talented emcees from the London underground scene together under one roof for some cypher action. A big shout to the Boiler Room crew for holding it down on the video shoot front, was a lot of fun. Enjoy!

Fat Gold Chain present Mystro

Live once again from the heart of London, the Fat Gold Chain gang proudly present Mystro who will be performing a full live set this Friday 17th February. The night will also feature a sure to be slamming set from FGC Open Mic Champion Gambit Ace.....plus we will be running the open mic and of course the crew DJs will keep the place pumping. Check the promo video below, join the Facebook group and then relax and recap on the events of last year with Mys Diggy's 2011 rap up. Hip Hop lives in the UK!

Divine Rights - Sunday (Prod. By Cystic)

This one deserves at least 3 rewinds; some proper UK hip hop; this stuff is what I've been fiending for for a while! 

Epidemic & Dean Atta Hip Hop and Powerful Poetry

Epidemic came through with that classic boom bap head nod mic passing goodness. Suffering slightly for the bandying around of the 'faggot' insult, the companionship and dope sounds shine through from these guys. If your feeling these guys; go grab some of their music here 

Dean Atta's important poem "I am nobody's nigger" has been set to visuals by the SBTV team featuring a host of UK artists this combination packs a powerful punch.

New Scholarman video 'Overview'

The big homie from Maryland Scholaman returns to your screens with another great slice of classic hip hop. I'm loving this video that looks to be shot deep in the heart of Mexico (apologies if I'm wrong but the pyramids in the background look very similar to the ones I saw a bus ride from Mexico city a couble years ago) Great stuff, this is a taste of the forthcoming 'Worth Fighting For' coming in February.

Fat Gold Chain back for 2012...London Hip hop represent

Bennydiction "Beer Goggles and Rose Tinted Specs" New Video

Check out my brother Bennydiction getting some pretty rough treatment from a series of femme fatales in this heavy new video...the latest track from highly anticipated Long Player 'Hard Graft, Arts & Crafts and Hearty Laughs....I love it and it also get the thumbs up from my girlfriend who rates it as Fantastic! Check it ouuuut!!

Hip Hop History 1988 till 2011 The last installment...at last!!

From 1988 Hip Hop really seemed to be flying in a variety of very interesting directions. Talking to my man Chima Anya about this particular countdown he asked what the general theme or direction of the list was. I realised it doesnt really have a particular theme; just for me going through some of the different releases from each year of Hip Hop's existence. Supposedly at a rate of one a day in the run up till Christmas...oh dear that deadlines a bit dead now....never mind lets keep it running to the new year! And so, in at Number 22 from  1988 its......none other than the rap immortal Big Daddy Kane with one of my favourite classic jams, aint no half stepping......paragrahs I manifest, check out the original rhyme Prime Minister in full force; remember when his pen hits the paper....Ahh shit!!!

Big Daddy Kane held the crown as a giant of lyricism, however around the same time a hungry emcee made a return tot the stage. Kool G Rap was sharpening his skills and edge as his hardcore style began to be embraced just as musch of the inncence of Hip Hop had been lost and the early period of hip hop in the1980's was sadly being confined to history... Number 21....Kool G Rap& DJ Polo - Men at Work (1989).


1990 Number 21 - Masta Ace - The Music Man


1991 Number 20 - EPMD So Whatchya Saying? Apparently released in 1991 as a single, although the hip hop junkies had already been rocking to it from thieir 1989 album.


1992 Number 19 - Oh dear, far to many hot joints from 1992; I guess they will all have to share the 19 spot heheh I guess this is where Chima was right to question my priorites!!
Dre Dre & Snoop Dog - Nutin But A G Thang
Diamond D - What You Seek

Pete Rock & CL Smooth - T.R.O.Y (They Reminisce over You) Nas - Halftime 1993 - Number 18 - Souls of Mischief - Now till Infinity - Classic shit!! 1994 - Number 17 - Channel Live and KRS One - Mad Izm. Again I'ver had to miss out on mad classics (especially Big's Juicy, the classic Warren G/Nate Dogg Collab 'Regulate' and Common's I used to love Her) from this, another great year for great hip hop, but it's your turn to investigate more otherwise this list is never getting done!! Big L - Put it On! Nas ft Az - Life's a Bitch
1995 - Number 16 - A toss up again this time between Killah Priest's 'BIBLE' cut from the amazing GZA album liquid swords and Mobb Deep Shook Ones Part II - Probably the most ruggish thuggish track on this list. I guess this point in the list marks the increasing gulf that emerged between styles of hip hop from this period in time, and it seems sad that  these two tracks are nowadays unlikely to have any current equivalents.


I couldnt leave 1995 without this booming track that was mad influential in developing my personal love of hip hop lyracism, ruggedness and general verbal gymnastics to get ya girl on my mattress!
1996 - Number 15 - Poor Righteous Teachers featuring Nine - Gods, Earths and 85ers
1997 - Number 14 - Wu Tang Clan - Triumph
Immortal lines for all hip hop heads! Possibly the greatest posse cut of all time!? Rap along now... I bomb atomically, Socrates philosophys......

1998 - Number 13 - Big Pun - Dream Shatterer

 1999 - Number 12 -  Xzibit - Paparazzi

2000 - Number 11 - Task Force - Wha Blow.....Jacking the classic beat from Black Rob's 'Woah', Taskforce smashed this record and just as an era was apparently coming to an end in the US, British heads were showing strongly that ill spitting could be done regardless of accent......picking up a rare vinyl copy of this back in the day in an Australian record store also impacted on me showing the truly global element of hip hop.....

2001 - Number 10 -
Roots Manuva - Dreamy Days

2002 - Number 9
If lyrics had been getting increasingly forgotton in the mainstream version of hip hop, Canibus was resoulutely putting out some of the best music of his career. Re-listening to his work and noting the complex scientific, historical and liturary references it just reminds me of why his place as one of the greatest ever emcees should be assured. Ive sneaked in Jehst's classic Alcoholic Author track here to demonstrate the quality of lyracism also developing at the time in the UK. 2003 - Number 8 (Joint) Canibis - Master Thesis & Poet Laurete 2 - 

Jehst - Alcoholic Author


2004 - Number 7 - Its gotta be Jada with this unusually political anthem... Cant bypass this year though without re-visiting the classic Nas - Your the Man...indeed, ill shit from the legend

2005 - Number 6
Klashnekoff - Black Rose (revisted)


2006 - Number 5 - Hi Tek Music for Life
plus note this Killer Mike track....I was just embarking on studying to become a teacher around 2006 and that may be why I missed it; but hearing it fresh today has really opened my eyes to the intelligence of Killer Mike......

2007 - Number 4
International Players Anthem....I need to get married like this! Wonder how much this lot would cost to perform at it!!??

Honerable mention......Chammilionare and Slick Rick sticking it to fools with this great take on rap, politics and the media....
2008 - Number 3
Joel Ortiz - Hip Hop. Had this knockin on constant repeat when it first came up...dont believe me ask my housemates! twitter@jonmhill @lovelychaos!!

2009 - Number 2 - Rakim - Holy Are You....I love this track, inspirational and powerful; however with 77 dislikes on YouTube the controversies and prejudices of the world are ever present, seemingly especially towards hip hop and the people who create it.

2010 - Number 1 - Sci Fi Stu feat Remarkable Mayor John Robinson -No Swag Needed
Debut video for producer SciFi Stu featuring rising underground hip hop stars Remarkable Mayor & underground hip hop heavyweight John Robinson (Lil Sci of Scienz of Life). Turntable wizardry by Twelvebit!

2010 was a great year for releases that though not reaching the heights of fame deserved in the mainstream, at least bought the underground crew some gems. Akala released a very powerful track 'Yours and My Children' that provides food for thought in these fraught and increasingly divisive times
2011 - Check this! Most played video for me of 2011.....3 of the nicest rappers come together in the spirit of unity....loving hearing J Rawls breaking it down, the only missing bit is him doing a bit of rapping as well (saw him at Hip Hop Kemp rapping and DJing at the same time; dude is a beast!! Anyhow, yet again loads from 2011 that I've missed out but thats your job! Now I can get back to my inbox to try and supply some of the 2012 batch! Dont forget to check Suspect Packages for all the latest UK stuff too; I've let my finger slide off the pulse unfortunately but Disorda will always keep you laced. And for radio fixes Check Sammy B side's Rhymepad Radio, and as ever get the most indepth interviews and dope new Hip Hop from Conspiracy Radio and Rob One's 2020.........Peace to all and apologies if your favourite track of any year didnt appear.....this was a pretty personal take on hip hop! Reply with tunes if your offended! 

Hip Hop from 1985 to 1988 - Christmas Countdown!!

1986 Number 26 MC Lyte - I Cram to Understand You. Apparently written before she had turned 16; this love story turns nasty as Lyte tells of a relationship breakdown due her man's addiction to crack. 1987 Number 24 - One of the most ridiculous rap intro's that we all love; check out Ice T - Rhyme Pays ...."Bustin rhymes was his natural thing , he was crowd the westcoast mc king ,  but There was a rush of wack rappers , with one intention to crush this master rapper, but he showed no mercy , he rapped blood thirsty" 1988 Number 23 - Public Enemy - Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos. Wow!

Solocypher's Hip Hop Countdown 1983-85.....Rockmaster Scott and the Dynamic 3; Nucleus and Frandmaster Flash & Melle Mel

Number 29 - 1983 - Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel - White Lines The pounding beat and production of White Lines puts it streets ahead of its contemporaries; whilst Melle Mel's veiled anti cocaine lyrics are another great example of Hip Hop's early social conciousness. How many different ways can you say snow anyway!? Check the end of the record with some super futuristic cut ups!! Wonder what Mel makes of Rick Ross and all the other cats glamourisng the drug dealing lifestyle nowadays? Number 28 - 1984 - Nucleus - Jam On It - This is one of the craziest early hip hop videos; b boys slammin it off the heezy!! Number 27 - 1985 - Rockmaster Scott and the Dynamic 3 ...Think you havent heard of this record? Check it and think again!!

Solocypher's Hip Hop Christmas Countdown 1979-2011 - Number 29 - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5- The Message (1982)

The hip hop police should take a fresh listen to this...original music from the people with a message. Melle Mel's immortal line; broken glass, every where...still rings through my head when ever I see those tell tale shining fragments signalling urban decay even in the London streets of 2011...The Furious 5 deserve even more credit as apparently it was member Cowboy who actually coined the term 'Hip Hop' itself while scatting. Respect due.

Solocypher's Hip Hop Christmas Countdown 1979-2011 - Number 30 - Funky 4+1 / That's The Joint (1981)

Solocypher's Hip Hop Christmas Countdown 1979-2011 - Number 31 - Kurtis Blow 'The Breaks' (1980)

A wicked break to party to, Kurtis lays down some nice observational and party verses over this piano led track. Highly influential down the line!

Solocypher's Hip Hop Christmas Countdown 1979-2011 - Number 32 - Sugarhill Gang - Rappers Delight

Greetings from a cold south London flat people! The world is not looking too rosy from this window at the moment; but let's not dwell on the negative for now and think about the upcoming festive season! I thought a good way to celebrate is to honour some of our hero's; and as such I humbly present the 'Vocalswords Christmas Countdown'; a journey through hip hop time and space. Please check the Solocypher Facebook page to like or add any of your favourite hip hop tunes from a particular year to make it a community history of hip hop....what will be Christmas number one!? (Shit too much SiCo sorry) So, officially (by record book standards anyhow) Hip Hop began (or at least) reared its recorded voice first in 1979. In that year, really only one record can truly be said to have set in motion the events, songs and history that combined to create the movement so many of us hold so dear...controversies over lyrics (shoutout to Casanova Fly!) aside; this is the jump off.... I've embedded the full length version with no video here; sit back in your time machine and imagine your self in a whole different era and world........

J Live - The Authentic

Always a breath of fresh air to hear a new Ras Kass joint and this one is no exception; incisive gangsterisms rubb shoulders with jokes and political commentary in the singular style that keep Rassy fans fiending for more! Check the track here

Another jem dropped throught the mail the other day; Audible Doctor X Blacastan. Check this new dopeness!

Skyzoo & Torae Live in London 1 Off UK Date!

My man Chima Anya will be hosting not one but 2 New York City heavyweights; Torae and Skyzoo at a fantastic venue in South London; if you are remotely near the big smoke on Wednesday 13th December you need to get your self a ticket quick for this exclusive night of dope hip hop!

SKYZOO With his critically-acclaimed debut album “The Salvation,” Skyzoo was both Brooklyn’s narrator and curator. The album hit the Billboard Top 200 charts at No. 14, the fourth-highest position among new artists. Working with a cast of producers that included 9th Wonder, Just Blaze, Nottz, Black Milk, Best Kept Secret, and Illmind, he created a sonic successor to hip hop milestones “Reasonable Doubt,” “Ready to Die,” “Illmatic” and “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.” The lyrics are why Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg felt confident enough to put a lord of the underground among Nas, Andre Benjamin, Lil' Wayne, and Talib Kweli as the top lyricists alive. www.skyzoo718.com TORAE Torae gained recognition by collaborating with DJ Premier and Marco Polo. He and Marco Polo went on to receive critical acclaim for their collaborative LP entitled „Double Barrel“. With Cosigns from Hiphop Dx, 2DopeBoyz, Nah Right, Hot 97, XXL and a dope new album feat. production from DJ Premier and Pete Rock, if you are serious about Hiphop this is a man you need to catch up with. www.itstorae.com Chima Anya Chima Anya is a name familiar to anyone with a serious interest in Hip-hop in the UK. His debut mixtape came to national attention with support from Kiss, Choice, 1xtra and Radio 1, all while practising full time as a medical doctor. Having shared stages with legends such as Amp fiddler, KRS 1, Jay Electronica,Dead Prez and Pharaohe Monch it’s no surprise that when asked Chima states his greatest joy comes from performing. Always engaging, energetic and charismatic, Chima also fronts his own genre-leading 4 piece electronic / hip-hop outfit; a group that can only be described as a “must see". www.chimaanya.com + Special guests TBC