We Plug 2 Y.O.U... Tosyn Bucknor The CON.Tra.Diction

OK I honestly DO NOT know where to start with this feature... I've been staring at my Laptop Screen for a couple hours tryna put pen to paper or in this case, fingers to keyboard on this feature BUT alas... Seldom have I worked with or come across a new/upcoming artiste that is quite as enigmatic, ambigious and press-shy as The Con.tra.diction, an 'alternative' Singer/Song-Writer from Lagos, Nigeria...

The BIO information on her Reverbnation reads 'First a writer, but also likes to perform her own material' while her Facebook page simply muses 'Con.Tra.Diction is the MUSIC PERSONA of Tosyn Bucknor' & I hear you ask 'SO well, who is Tosyn Bucknor?'... That's just the thing though, there are more than a million answers to this here question that we'd still be here answering it come Next Year's Christmas! There's Tosyn the Radio Personality... Tosyn the Blogger... Tosyn the Philanthropist... Tosyn the Columnist (trust me, its ALOT) & we'd still be nowhere near to knowing who the Con.tra.diction was???

She says she calls herself a CON.tra.diction because she is an 'old soul living in a young woman's body, a lady and a tramp. deep and playful, melancholy and chirpy, here, there, everywhere!' but her 'Con.tra.diction' name holds so true in that a figure so in the public eye (or seemingly so) can try and be somewhat inconspicuous at the same time... In a world where the line between artistes and their music is so thin at best & very blurred at its worst, the Con.tra.diction has so far succeeded in keeping it strictly about the music SO we'll oblige and keep it exactly that way...

That record titled 'First' was one of the first records I heard of Con.tra.diction back in the Winter of 07/08 and I have been a big fan of hers since then. This song is so simple & beautiful... The keys and strings that largely make up the backdrop for this record, coupled with the slight hints of violin strings at times, give the lyrics to the song some added life (don't sleep on the lyrics! You actually can't lol!) & help to showcase the Con.tra.diction's vocals quite perfectly, the instrumentals are never over-bearing and they burst unto the centre-stage in small doses at the best of times... I REALLY LIKE THIS SONG! Kinda reminds me of Fiona Apple/Tori Amos a little bit... What do you think of it though?

What about this one?

What you just heard is 'Dreams', the NEW single from Tosyn Bucknor the Con.tra.diction & on this one, she fully unleashes the ROCK CHIC from within... The Alanis Morisette influence shines through so much on this record that it could easily be a reference track for Ms. Morisette & it's really GOOD & damn catchy as well. What about the production on this though? The Electric Guitar & Drums infused musical arrangements are courtesy of another Nigerian Singer/Song-Writer (& also Producer) by the name of Coldflames... DUDE GOES HARD!

I am really impressed by what I just heard... This is the kinda stuff you get when artistes let their hair down and just BE creative! There's no overriding or ulterior motive or notion of chart sales or commercial acclaim with this record.. It just is what it is! It's what happened when the Con.tra.diction & Nigerian Uber-Producer Kraftwork got together in the studio... They sample the 70's record 'Love and Affection' from one of the best Soul Musicians to come out of Nigeria, Segun Bucknor and His Revolution, to create what I can only describe as a GREAT listening pleasure.

SO I have to ask, what do you make of what you've just heard. I quite like the Con.tra.diction. Very very different from what I hear outta the Nigerian Music scene, that's for sure & she definitely gets a WePlugGOODMusic CO-SIGN because I love off her records... Can't wait for more records from her #in2010!

& Just so you know it isn't all fun & games & for a taste of what she's got in the bag for us #in2010... check out this exclusive record that's set to be released next year HERE! It speaks many things to me, this one...

Until the Next Time Beautiful People...

Merry Christmas x

WPGM Recommends... Mystrogen - F.D.T EP

OK for those who don't know, Mystrogen a.k.a MysDiggi has been in the UK Hip-Hop game for a loong minute now... 11 years to be exact! A Veteran in every right... He's collaborated with several other Vets, the likes of SkinnyMan (1999's 'The Word's Out'), Rodney P (2003's 'You Know Who You Are') & Black Twang (2002's 'Half n Half')... He put Daniel Merriweather on a track years before the kid blew up (2006's 'Come Fly')... He hosted the now infamous UK Hip-Hop showcase & club nights, Kung-Fu in Camden, London... He is quite frankly one of the very few reminders that real Hip-Hop ain't dead in the UK... & All these, without having yet released a full-length album (not taing into account 2006's 'Diggi Down Unda')

Enough of the history lessons then... Fast Forward to December 14th, 2009 & the big homie Mystro is back with this 10-track E.P aptly titled F**K D TAXMAN (F.D.T) with all the pun intended (ask me later to break it down)...

The EP leads with the single, 'Live and U Learn' produced by Earth Hip-Hop, the video to which you can check out HERE but I'm leading with my favorite record off of the EP... Check it after the jump!




This one's titled 'Aquarius' and its produced by Super T & Mystro goes into superb social commentary mode as he discusses diverse issues from religion to medicine to 9/11, in the midst of an eerily good musical backdrop of mesmerizing chimes & obscure keys as provided by Super T... What is present on this record as with on the other records on this EP is Mystro's ever-present wittiness, the intelligent & hard-hitting lyrics, his mature and succinct flow!

& with that said, let's check out another of my favorite records from the F.D.T EP...




On this 3 odd minutes of what is a straight Hip-Hop Head's dream, DJ Thor on the production comes up with a monster of a beat... The Drums, those daunting keys, the spazmatic horn arrangements??? They all come together to create what I envision is an Emcee's dreams come true in a way that only a few DJ/Producers can manage & by how Mystro spaces out all over this backdrop, I doubt I'm wrong... The song is called 'Thorish' by the way!

I've listened to the F.D.T EP a good few times since I got it and it sounds better after each listen, Earth Hip-Hop comes up with an opus of a hip-hop production on 'Maintain' which sees Mystro shouting-out & bigging-up the rest of the very few UK Hip-Hop artistes, producers & DJs that refuse to sell out & who still churn out quality hip-hop that remain unadulterated & NOT what the A&R says will push numbers... & on 'Banishment', Mystro is on amazing 'sending' form & that hook is mad catchy as f**k! A few listens and you'll be screaming 'RUN HIM OUT THE HOUSE' to any little thing (truss me)... All the records on this EP are pure Hip-Hop records and you'd expect nothing less from MysDiggi. Quite simply this one's for all the Hip-Hop heads out there, if you like good Hip-hop, you'll appreciate this EP.

Alright Beautiful people, that is all I can share with you from the F.D.T EP unfortunately BUT what I will say is this... Mystrogen's F.D.T ep is out on Itunes, Amazon and all other major Music retailers on Don't BizzNizz so go out (stay IN) and get your copy, you will NOT be dissappointed & you can QUOTE me on that one!

Until the Next One...

WPGM Exclusive... Terry Tha Rapman - The Joe Spazm Mixtape

Now for me personally, Nigerian Hip-Hop can be very very HIT & MISS... On one end of the spectrum, you find the likes of M.I, Naeto C, Kel, Mode Nine, Iceprince, Teeto & only a few other credible EMCEES (& even some of these guys Bottle it sometimes) but on the other end, well you have the rest of them really (YES I WENT THERE, LET THE HATE MAILS COMMENCE) so when my homegirl This M.Et.Al Chic sent me in this 23-track mixtape by one 'Terry Tha Rapman', I was a bit intrigued by what this emcee had to offer... I remember hearing his 2000 refix of Eminem's 'My Name is', 'I Am A Nigerian' which was quite catchy to say the least, with witty lyrics & a cool flow... Dont fret, it's on the mixtape when you download it!

Anyway the mixtape is titled 'The Joe Spazm Mixtape', it features a wide array of the who's who of what's HOT in 2009 Nigerian Hip-Hop (only noteable omissions would be M.I & Naeto C to be honest) & it's hosted by D.J Jimmy Jatt (if you're into the Nigerian music scene & you dunno him then you're LOST!)... Let's go straight into our favorite CUTS right after the JUMP, shall we?




What you just heard is Terry ripping to shreds the now infamous 'A Milli' record... Now I'm sure you have heard a million & one freestyles over this record & from the best of them aswell BUT I reckon I rate this one quite highly... Very witty Master P/Naeto C/R.Kelly punch-lines & I know that M.I... C line got you too lol!

'She wants to BLOW so below my belt is where her lips be' - Terry Tha Rapman

On to the NEXT one...




Can I just say quickly that I love the original record so much... Busta Rhymes/Lil Wayne/Jadakiss init? & Jada completely owns this BEAT so it was exciting to see Terry GO in on this record because for me, this is one of them HIT or MISS records... It's either you totally take the cake or you totally bottle it as an EMCEE on this record & I think him & Othello really did the track justice... Good thing it is the first track you hear on the mixtape because it gives you the impetus to carry on listening... I like this record & Othello really UPPED his game on his verse! CLAP FOR EM!!!

'Boys are NOT smiling Until we buy our own Island!' - Terry Tha Rapman

Another HEAVY Hitter?




So what do you get when you mix three of the BEST Nigerian EMCEES in the circuit right now? Well this is exactly what you get! The track's titled 'John 3:16s' and Terry Tha Rapman, Teeto & Iceprince GO in over one of Busta Rhymes' classic records to give us one of the highlights of the 'Joe Spazm Mixtape', well one of my highlights anyway...

What do you think of Terry Tha Rapman so far? I like him if I'm being perfectly honest. He's not gimmicky which I totally appreciate and over 23 tracks, he's got me sold on not only his rap skills but I reckon he can carve out his lane in the industry and just work it... well we'll see, won't we?

I'll lace y'all with one more record off of the mixtape, lemme know what you think?




I only have one question after listening to that record & it's the same question everytime... WHO THE HELL IS THAT FEMCEE on the first verse & in the words of J.Cole, I'm wondering 'Where the F**K they find her'??? The woman is straight fire on those rhymes yo + her flow is impeccable IMO & oh did that Ghetto-P bring it on his verse aswell or did he just bring it? All round GOODness all over the classis 'Swagger Like Us' cut!!!

Download the whole MIXTAPE HERE & ENJOY some proper Nigerian Hip-Hop!!!

Until the Next Time...

Download 'The Joe Spazm Mixtape'

We Plug 2 Y.O.U... Shadez The Futuristic MisFit

Firstly I feel an apology is due... 'Where the hell have I been?', You ask & 'Oh I dunno! Jus been around?', IS all I got! I do apologise though...

BUT without wasting too much time @ 'HELLO' (cos let's face it, we're all here for the music), allow me to introduce you to a UK artiste I stumbled into back in July if memory serves me right... He is very different to what you would ordinarily be used to & that's only one of the reasons I very much like this artiste... Think N*E*R*D, Think Gym Class Heroes, Think Flying Lotus, Think a lil bit of Atmosphere (only a lil bit though)... I want you to think Indie/Electro/Hip-Hop laced with real-life, cleverly-laced & thought-provoking lyrics... I want you to think New Age... I want you to think... BUT I also need you to prepare your ears!




Pleas permit me to claw you back from that 3-minute EarGasm! I did say 'Prepare your Ears' (& you know I don't use words flippantly lol)... What you just heard is titled 'FastLane Dame' by 19-year old South Londoner, SHADEZ who is also a fashion designer for BAPE, Converse & 'ASK YOUR GIRL' Clothing. The Front-man for The San Sherifs' who is set to release his debut solo EP 'Shadez: The Futuristic Misfit' (sounds like a 3010 Super-Hero Animation film, doesn't it?) describes his sound as Urban/Indie/Retro as well as Electro-tinted & Futuristic AND we LOVE it! We find it futile trying to decipher all the sounds our ears are hearing on 'FastLane Dame' but we CANNOT keep still & our head is bopping all over the place to this one! OUR VERDICT? This is a HUGE record! Shadez is definitely FuturistiC with it!

First thoughts? BE HONEST lol!

Let's jump into some more Music from the Futuristic Misfit...




Here's a record titled 'Stuck In Between' and we culled this one from his live performance at The Cordless Show which you can check out HERE (Fastlane Dame comes in @ 1.43minutes so pay it NO mind lol)... As you already know, I'm a sucker for organic LIVE music and this record does it so much for me! These (heavily synthesized) instruments... Lead guitar, keys & drums all fuse together to compliment Shadez lazy but comfortable flow & catchy lyrics to create this ridiculously amazing musical experience, with the bass guitar giving the music that added life it needs just at the right moments... This is Beautiful Music is all I'm saying...

Some more Shadez after the JUMP!!!




& that which you have just heard is a collaborative effort with fellow Hip-Hopper & Cordless-Show Alumni, the very talented Kay Young on another Electro Head-Banger titled 'Dough'... Shadez completely owns this record IMO and the way he rides the beats on this one is impeccable! He brings that mid-temp effortless flow to this fast-paced & thumping record and he makes it work... His name is SHADEZ & you should take NOTE!

SO tell me ladies & gentlemen... what do you think of this fella Shadez... We Plug GOOD Music thinks he is the truth! & We CANNOT wait to listen to the E.P! With a name as captivating as 'The Futuristic Misfit' and records such as 'Stuck InBetween' & 'FastLane Dame' that we've just heard, I think it'd be safe to say that it's gonna be a brilliant body of work...

Until the Next Time...

You've just been introduced to Shadez... The Futuristic Misfit!!!