Wow. I found this out while listening to the Giant Bomb podcast this morning: Oakland’s own Raphael Saadiq (Tony! Toni! Toné!, Lucy Pearl) has a video game company called Illfonic! This kind of blows my mind. And they have a game coming out shortly as part of Microsoft’s Xbox Live “Arcade House Party” promotion.

The game is called Nexuiz and drops February 29th for about $10. It’s a first person shooter powered by Unreal Engine 3 and it doesn’t look bad at all. Check a screenshot below:

Looks kinda dope, right? It’ll also be released on PC via Steam and on the the PlayStation 3 Network (PSN) at a later date.

I’m a huge fan Saadiq so this odd pairing of homeboy and games caught me off guard. But apparently he’s a huge gamer. Speaking with TheBoomBox.com, Saadiq had this to say:

“We all play video games all the time, and a friend of mine works for Russell Simmons and she works on a video game and she was coming to town to do voice overs for Snoop and I told her I wanted to be in the game, but just playing. She said, ‘Well, we don’t let R&B singers in the game.’ And I was like, ‘Well, I’m going to make my own game and I’m going to call it ‘Ghetto Golf.” I was just joking and laughing with her, but when she left, Chuck [Brundgardt, my recoding engineer said], ‘Hey, you serious? You really want to do that?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, we should,’ and he [said], ‘You know I went to school for that.”

Saadiq and Chuck created Illfonic in 2007 and have been hitting up indie game shows and conventions such as PAX every year to spread the word about their fledging studio and publishing arm. “IllFonic is committed to delivering AAA games digitally to consoles and PC at an affordable price,” reads the website.

I don’t know. I’m still kinda buggin. Check out the links for more info. And congrats Saadiq, Chuck & Illfonic. An independent videogame company may be a first in the world of R&B/hiphop.

Additional links:

- Illfonic Website
- Interview with Saadiq at TheBoomBox.com
- Nexuiz at Xbox.com

At long last, Sir Jarlsberg hath released his debut video, “Teach Thee How to Curtsy” for thou to enjoy! Find it embedded hither:

If thou durst seek more info on Sir Jarlsberg, thou canst click on thy linketh: Party Fun Action Committee Returns.

Here’s a little remix I did to the Pharrell / Jay-Z joint, “Frontin’”. Enjoy:

Download it for free on SoundCloud:

http://soundcloud.com/yameen/pharrell-frontin-feat-jay-z

Just uploaded a new mix: “Stompin to the 90′s – Late Edition”, featuring songs from the mid-to-late 90′s of hiphop. Track listing follows the embed below. Download or stream now at Soundcloud:

Track listing:

L*Roneous
Dynamic Syncopation
Dr Israel
Abstract Tribe Unique
Sacred Hoop
Black Eyed Peas
Urbanites
BMS
Kool Keith & Motion Man
Sir Menelik
INTERLUDE
T-Love, Siah & Wee Bee Foolish
KRS-One
The Pharcyde
Herbaliser
Beastie Boys
A Tribe Called Quest
X-Zibit

Brand new free mixtape from the always magnaninous DJ Icewater!

An instrumental-fueled selection of tracks from Yameen, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Blockhead, Shock G, Mike Ladd and many more.

Check for the embed below! Or download the MP3 by clicking here.

Tracklisting:

Fire (Original mix)
Fire (Yameen’s Direct Drive Remix)
P.H.I.L.A.
Fire (Blockhead Remix)
Spirit Walker (Original mix)
Spirit Walker (Mike Ladd Remix)
Pull Ya Cash Out
The Atmosphere
Shock’s Prelude
Light of Love (Original mix)
Light of Love (Mark de Clive-Lowe Remix)

I was digging in the (virtual) crates and came up on an old CD-R featuring a session demo of a track we cut from the final version of Nuntype, recorded more than likely in 2000.

The song is called, “Matter of Moments” with me on production and Tajai on the mic. It’s never been released until now.

Although “Matter of Moments” was cut from the final playlist, the instrumental did manage to make it onto the retail album under the name “Cacophony Carknock”.

It’s unmixed, so keep that in mind, but it still sounds pretty good. Check it out below:

» Download – MP3 (8M)

And for more on Nuntype, check out: www.nuntype.com.

Came up on this track me and Philly-based producer, Benny Brows did way back in 1999 from our dancehall-inspired album, Get On All Gone. Check out the remix from Stitch:

You can download the track using the link above.

Also, check out Stitch’s album of rare tracks, Before We Go Any Further — another free download.

The new EP, Never Knows Encore is in stores now!

This is the final album in the Never Knows series. It features the remix instrumentals from Never Knows More (featuring Mark de Clive-Lowe, Blockhead, Mike Ladd, and myself) as well as an alternate “Spirit Walker” vocal mix by Mike Ladd we are calling the “Pajama Jammy Jam Mix”.

Here’s a few links to grab the album online:

• iTunes
• Amazon MP3
• eMusic
• Juno Download (available in WAV format)

Tracklisting:

1. Light of Love feat. Lady Alma (Mark De Clive-Lowe Remix) – Instrumental
2. Fire feat. Casual & Georgia Anne Muldrow (Blockhead Remix) – Instrumental
3. Spirit Walker feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow (Mike Ladd Remix) – Instrumental
4. Pull Ya Cash Out feat. Maylay Sparks, Reef The Lost Cauze & DJ Icewater – Instrumental
5. Fire feat. Casual & Georgia Anne Muldrow (Yameen’s Direct Drive Remix) – Instrumental
6. Spirit Walker feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow (Mike Ladd’s Pajama Jammy Jam Mix)

Yesssss…Finaaaaalllyyyyyyy…The brand new album is in stores today!!

Here’s a list of spots online carrying the album right now:

• iTunes
• Amazon MP3
• eMusic

For high quality WAV download check out:

• Juno Download

Man, just want to thank all of you for the support. If you’re feeling it, please review it on iTunes or tell your friends, or add me on Facebook or Twitter. We make this music for all of you, so I personally would love to hear some feedback and what ya’ll think of the new album.

Also, big ups to all of the artists on the record. I think this jawn came out great and I’m real happy to work with so many professional and talented people.

Here’s the full tracklisting. Holla!

Featuring:
Yameen, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Mike Ladd, Blockhead, MerLow, Reef The Lost Cauze, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Shock G, Casual, Lady Alma, Maylay Sparks & more.

01 – Yameen??! (feat. DJ Icewater, prod. by Yameen)
02 – Spirit Walker feat. Georgia Anne Muldrow (Mike Ladd Remix)
03 – Fire feat. Casual and Georgia Anne Muldrow (Blockhead Remix)
04 – Pull Ya Cash Out feat. Maylay Sparks & Reef The Lost Cauze (prod. by Yameen)
05 – Never Knows Best (MerLow Remix)
06 – Light of Love feat. Lady Alma (Mark de Clive-Lowe Remix)
07 – The Atmosphere (Instrumental)
08 – Don’t Go Near The Speakers (Instrumental)
09 – Fire (Instrumental)
10 – Spirit Walker (Instrumental)
11 – Shock’s Prelude (feat. Shock G)
12 – Light of Love (Instrumental)
13 – Fire feat. Casual & Georgia Anne Muldrow (Yameen’s Direct Drive Remix)

My track, “Pull Ya Cash Out” featuring Reef The Lost Cauze and Maylay Sparks is featured on the Selector Series, “Guide To Lampin’ 2009″ music compilation, dropping in stores June 23rd.

The compilation also features music from Guru, Dead Prez, Cage, Mr. Lif and more.

Cop it here from Amazon Digital.