"Perfect Date" is a never-released gem from 80s cold funk pioneers Aurra (famous for the garage-era disco classic "Checking You Out") from their 'Satisfaction' album, finally being released by Family Groove records next month.

Aurra - "Perfect Date"

Malik B. (of The Roots fame) and producer Mr. Green team up for this new track, "Definition," off of their upcoming collabo LP, Unpredictable. 

Malik B. "Definition (prod. Mr. Green)"

Black Thought, Bahamadia, T3 and Baatin of Slum Village hop on this Spacek track which was featured on the b-side of their classic 2000 single "Eve."

Spacek "Countdown (feat. Black Thought, Bahamadia & Slum Village)"

Qool DJ Marv's 2-hour mix dedicated to The Roots, originally broadcast on WURD Philly. Marv's thoughts on 2 supporting inspirations:

One - I was telling my mom about The Roots making it from playing music on a South Street corner to becoming a band that travelled all over the U.S. and the world and is now the house band of the new Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She wasn't aware of them and their journey. One idea behind this is a Roots mix for the older generations.

Two - I imagined this scenario between a Dad and his son. Dad's hipping son to the hip-hop of his day. Thanks to a cool mix from a DJ named Marv, Dad played his boy the entire mix on a drive from Philadelphia to New York (because they scored tickets to the Tonight Show).

After each and every song, son asked "That's them too?"
"Yes, that's them too," smiled Dad.
"They sound so different, every song," the boy with the eager ears said.
"Well, they are musicians and their main voice, Black Thought, what a name eh(?), he's more than a rapper, he raps poetry, stories, information and encouragement."
"I thought rappers just talked about themselves and how they the best," said son.
"They are best at self-aggrandizement, I always needed more son," taught Dad.
(The Seed 2.0 starts playing)
"Oh who is this? Are we finished listening to the Roots," asked son.
"That's them too," beamed Dad while reaching for the + sign on the volume control.
"Wow, that's them too," said son with a voice that trailed off as he looked out the window and saw New York City on the horizon.
(Narrator: "Each time [son] asked "That's them too," in his mind's eye, heart & soul and deep in his consciousness, he was actually saying, "That's me too. That's me too. That's me, too. That's me.")

Qool DJ Marv - The Roots Mix

J Dilla's track "The Anthem" feat. Frank & Dank gets an essential remix by the prolific Cookin' Soul, an Okayplayer exclusive for Throwback Thursday.

Artwork by Alexander Grahovsky ( http://alexandergrahovsky.com )

more from Cookin' Soul:

www.CookinSoul.com
www.Soundcloud.com/CookinSoul
www.Twitter.com/CookinSoul
www.Facebook.com/CookinSoulOfficial
www.Instagram.com/CookinSoulOfficial

J Dilla f. Frank & Dank - "The Anthem" (Cookin Soul Remix)

UK producer, Eric Lau, and soul songstress, Tawiah, join forces for their new single "Favourite Truth" featuring Kaidi Tatham. The song is off of their collabo EP, Love Call, set to drop on May 12th via Northern Shore.  

Pre-order the EP - http://smarturl.it/LoveCallEP

Download

Eric Lau & Tawiah "Favourite Truth" feat. Kaidi Tatham

Roots Picnic Mixtape 2014 (mixed by Matthew Law fka @djphsh)

http://www.rootspicnic.com | http://facebook.com/rootspicnic | http://twitter.com/rootspicnic

TICKETS http://www.ticketmaster.com/the-roots-philadelphia-pennsylvania-05-31-2014/event/02004C63BE198A01

http://www.okayplayer.com | http://crooksncastles.com

https://twitter.com/djphsh | http://www.phshtank.com

Roots Picnic Mixtape 2014 mixed by Matthew Law

Chocolate Sundays, Miami's longest running club night, brings you their Basel'd Mix in celebration of the Art Basel week. Resident DJ's Sharpsound, Manuvers, Reid Waters, & Louie Arson.  @chocolatesundays

Chocolate Sundays  Basel'd Mix

The Okayplayer premiere of Robert Glasper's "Dillalude 3" featuring T3 of Slum Village.

Robert Glasper - Dillalude 3

Produced by: Ira Schickman (https://twitter.com/schickworld)
Vocals: @YummyBingham (https://twitter.com/yummybingham)
Keyboards, Programming, Talk Box: Ira Schickman
Keyboards: Aya Kato

Happy Valentine's Day from Funktional and Okayplayer
Read the full article http://bit.ly/LoveU4Life

Jodeci "Love U 4 Life"(White Chocolate Reboot)

A track we featured on @djsoulnyc's 'Assorted Donuts' mixtape that to our knowledge has never surfaced without tags.  This goes out to you, and you, and you...

Biggie Smalls "Kick In The Door" (J Dilla Remix)(Clean)(No Tags)

Memeb - Don't stop me (Original Mix)

Ibrahim Gano talks about how difficult it was to find stories about entrepreneurs from The Gambia so he decided to find and share them.

Gano x OkayAfrica

Despite being a small country with an even smaller creative community, Gano believes the creative scene in The Gambia is fast rising.

Gano talks about leaning into travel content for the unpredictability and sense of adventure that it provided.

Ibrahim Morgan, an Egyptologist and tour guide at the Grand Egyptian Museum, talks about the positive feedback he gets from guests who have been part of his tours, their impression of Egypt and Egyptians.

OkayAfrica x Ibrahim Morgan

"Bottle of Ink" is a bonus track addition to 'Face The Facts,' a new 10" vinyl release from Figure & Ground records that melds the home recordings of philosopher Alan Watts with the new music productions of multi-instrumentalist Jas Walton. 

Purchase 'Face the Facts' and find more information about the project here: http://www.figureandgroundrecords.com/store/face-the-facts-words-by-alan-watts


"Bottle of Ink" - Jas Walton & Alan Watts

Read the story http://bit.ly/ChakaHendrix | Follow Chaka: http://twitter.com/chakakhan | http://facebook.com/chakakhan | Eric Gales on guitar http://twitter.com/ericgalesband | Produced by Ira Schickman https://twitter.com/schickworld

Vote http://rockhall.com/voting/2016-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-nominees-vote/

Chaka Khan "Butterflies, Zebras, Moonbeams, Fairytales"

Tiffany Gouché sits down with us and shares this unreleased cut called "Breakthrough," which is pegged to her "First Look Friday" interview with OKP.

Check out our chat with her where she talks about her songwriting, her creativity and her "Red Rum Melody" here: http://www.okayplayer.com/news/first-look-friday-tiffany-gouche-interview

Tiffany Gouché - Breakthrough

The first leak off The Roots' undun album, in stores December 6th.

The Roots "Make My" featuring Big K.R.I.T.

IAMNOBODI - "Arr. 6." [Okayplayer Premiere]

@DJParler hits with an exclusive mixtape that is part Cymande "Samplology" (his on going series of sample blends) and part Okayplayer Memorial Day BBQ soundtrack. Released for the holiday as well as in conjunction with our announcement of Okayplayer & SummerStage presents Cymande, King, Deva Mahal, and Parler himself on Saturday June 11 at SummerStage Central Park.

http://bit.ly/OKPSummerStage 

::: TRACKLIST :::
Samplology Intro 
Dove - Cymande
The Score - The Fugees
The Message - Cymande
Me And The Biz - Masta Ace
Brothers On The Slide - Cymande
Cedar - Metal Fingers
Cuz He'z Alwayz Around - Heavy D & The Boyz
Fug - Cymande
Change In Speak - De La Soul
Bra - Cymande
Movin' On - Gang Starr
Hot Thang ft ATCQ, Talib Kweli (BQE Party Break) - DJ Parler
Hot Thing - Prince
What? - A Tribe Called Quest
Uncle Willie's Dream - Paul Humphrey
Luck Of Lucien - A Tribe Called Quest
Forty Days - Billy Brooks
Show Business - A Tribe Called Quest
Wicky Wacky -Fatback Band
Just Enough Room For Storage - James Brown
Lyrics To Go - A Tribe Called Quest
Left My Wallet In El Segundo 
Funky  - The Chambers Brothers
Description Of A Fool - A Tribe Called Quest
Running Away - Roy Ayers
(Not Just) Knee Deep - Funkadelic
Me, Myself And I - De La Soul
A Rollerskating Jam Named Saturdays - De La Soul
Evil Vibrations - Mighty Ryeders
Ego Trip Pt 2 - De La Soul
Harlem Hendoo - Al Hirt
Stay Cool - The Roots
Life Of Fortune And Fame - Sly & the Family Stone
Game Theory - The Roots
Her Story - The Flying Lizards
Water - The Roots
Rising Down - The Roots ft. Mos Def & Styles P
Nothing Is The Same - Grand Funk Railroad
Music Man - Masta Ace
The World Is A Circle - Burt Bacharach ft Liv Ullman
Dark Knights - Rapsody ft. Wale
Round & Round - Hi Tek ft. Jonell
Burlesque In Barcelona - Jakob Magnusson
Vole, Vole Farandole - Paul Mauriat
Suddenly - Hi Tek ft. Donte & Main Flow Of Mood
Trois Gymnopedies - Erik Satie
Don't Nobody Care About Us - Phat Kat
A Friend - KRS One
Our Generation - Ernie Hines
Today - Tom Scott
Think Twice - Donald Byrd
Think Twice - J Dilla

DJ Parler Memorial Day Samplology Mixtape 2016

This week's 'First Look Friday' subject, Durand Bernarr, is a Cleveland, Ohio original and we're proud to exclusively premiere his latest track, "Around". Press play, sit back and listen to this cut intently.

Sound Check

Durand Bernarr — "Around"

DOWNLOAD (via Okayplayer): 
http://bit.ly/A3ENGZ

Tracklist:
1. Fantastic Intro
2. Brown Sugar
3. Devil's Pie
4. Crisco
5. Left & Right
6. Chicken Grease
7. Lady
8. Left & Right (Reprise)
9. Feel Like Making Love
10. Can't Hide Love
11. Things You Do (Fall in Love)
12. One Mo' Gin
13. Me and Those Dreaming Eyes of Mine
14. S.D.M.
15. Untitled (How Does It Feel)

Presented exclusively by Okayplayer (okayplayer.com)
Compiled and mixed by Sam Champ (samchamp.bandcamp.com)


http://www.okayplayer.com/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/okayplayer
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/okayplayer
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/okayplayer


D'Angelo Live

Eric Lau and Oddisee team up once again for this exclusive Record Store Day 7”. With production inspired by Hip-Hop's Soulquarian era, Lau's thumping beat and Oddisee's raw vocals come together perfectly to make a track that purely reverberates with soul!

Pre-order the special edition 7" - http://www.hhv.de/item_274266.html


http://www.okayplayer.com/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/okayplayer
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/okayplayer
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/okayplayer


Eric Lau "What I'd Rather" feat. Oddisee [Full Song]

A track from episode five of Hulu's 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga.' Dennis, aka Ghostface Killah, records a song called  “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” a diss record towards rival projects Park Hill.

"No More Mr Nice Guy" By Dennis/Ghostface Killah (Siddiq Saunderson)

In episode five of Hulu's 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga,' Shotgun/Method Man (played by Dave East) has a local hit with “Who Got The Hype Shit,” an ode to his projects Park Hill.

“Who Got The Hype Shit” by Shotgun/ Method Man (Dave East)

Taken from "+FE Music: The Reworks" (on sale now!), The Randy Watson Experience (aka ?uestlove & James Poyser) give The Foreign Exchange's cover of Stevie Wonder's "If She Breaks Your Heart" a fresh remix!

Buy your copy of +FE Music: The Reworks now at http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com/store


http://www.okayplayer.com/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/okayplayer
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/okayplayer
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/okayplayer


The Foreign Exchange "If She Breaks Your Heart" feat. YahZarah (The Randy Watson Experience Remix)

The first single off of Eric Lau's upcoming sophomore album, One of Many.


http://www.okayplayer.com/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/okayplayer
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/okayplayer
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/okayplayer


Eric Lau "Everytime" feat. Rahel

We dug into the Okayarchives and found some mp3s of The Randy Watson Experience (?uestlove & James Poyser) playing on top of some classic Stevie Wonder tracks...


http://www.okayplayer.com/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/okayplayer
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/okayplayer
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/okayplayer


You've Got It Bad Girl (The Randy Watson Experience Remix)

http://www.okayplayer.com/

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/okayplayer
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/okayplayer
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/okayplayer


Stevie Wonder "Visions" (The Randy Watson Experience Demo Remix)

"Passage: Guided Meditations from Okayplayer" is a compilation EP featuring 8 guided meditation tracks produced and voiced by artists and creatives of color. The project was developed to inspire collective healing through sound and stillness. With the lead track voiced by rapper Big K.R.I.T. and accompanying short film visualizer directed and edited by Andrew Morrow ("Lemonade", "Black Is King"). "Passage: Guided Meditations from Okayplayer" is a testament to the artistic power of voices of color when amplified with intention.

Music Producer: MMYYKK
Curator & Musical Director: Steven Othello Brown

Passage: Guided Meditations from Okayplayer

Outro

"Passage" is a compilation EP featuring 8 guided meditation tracks produced and voiced by artists and creatives of color. The project was developed to inspire collective healing through sound and stillness. With the lead track voiced by rapper Big K.R.I.T. and accompanying short film visualizer directed and edited by Andrew Morrow ("Lemonade", "Black Is King"). "Passage" is a testament to the artistic power of voices of color when amplified with intention.

Attuned

Healing

Love

Clarity

Cleansing

Grounding

True Notes since 1987.
Our Gift To You. Stream PASSAGE, The EP: http://hyperurl.co/passage

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