Jedi Mind Tricks - The Thief and the Fallen

[Origin™]

^ Or Reef Tha Lost Cause.....I thought his verses were really on poitn on the last AOTP album.

Reef is fire, I'd love more solo shit from him.

There is a new JuJu Mob album out soon I think, that shit should be dope.

[Meta4]

Really surprised to see Yes Alexander on this album, definitely a collabo I would have never expected but really would like to hear the results. Vinnie has always had a great ear for really talented under-the-radar singers. I'm really glad about the lack of his AOTP members on this album although a Reef or OS track would never hurt.

[madchild]

Really surprised to see Yes Alexander on this album, definitely a collabo I would have never expected but really would like to hear the results. Vinnie has always had a great ear for really talented under-the-radar singers.

This track he did with her turned out good.

[madchild]

lmao, https://twitter.com/starxxxxxx8/stat...37301471174656

[madchild]

Not really enough to get excited about.



EDIT: At first, I thought, who the hell releases an Intro to promote an album. However, between the choice of drums and those violins, the many layers make this great. I probably would of passed this over after listening to the album once.

[Chrism70]

Potentially one of the best intros of an album ever!

This one 30 second clip is better than anything the Wu have put out as a collective for years, sad to say but Stoupe is giving us that raw hip hop. JMT are back!

[MaskedAvenger]

Not really enough to get excited about.



EDIT: At first, I thought, who the hell releases an Intro to promote an album. However, between the choice of drums and those violins, the many layers make this great. I probably would of passed this over after listening to the album once.

[madchild]

[GhettoGnom]

That Stoupe production got me anticipating JMT again. Good stuff.

[oDoUoSoKo]

I think Paz narrowly avoided being corny enough on that track that I'm interested in hearing this album

[madchild]

Leaked, surprisingly early. Looking forward to it.

[madchild]

New Stoupe Interview! Talks Solo Album, Wanting To Work With Black Thought and Ghostface

Stoupe talks Jedi Mind Tricks, finding samples, and comics (interview)

You might not recognize the name Kevin Baldwin, but you’ve likely heard him. Well, his beats at least. Better known under his moniker, Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, the mastermind hip hop producer formed the underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks with rapper Vinnie Paz in 1996. Stoupe has collaborated with a handful of artists including Canibus, Liz Fullerton, and Lorrie Doriza. Jedi Mind Tricks’s forthcoming album, The Thief and the Fallen, marks the reunion of Stoupe and Vinnie. We had the pleasure of chatting with the legendary producer recently:

AXS: So you and Vinnie [Paz] have of course reunited for the new album, The Thief and the Fallen. What should we look for from the upcoming album?

Stoupe: A little more diversity, it’s a little more conceptual.

AXS: The intro that was released definitely exhibited some distinctly Stoupe landscapes. How have you been able to maintain such a recognizable sound while also evolving greatly from one album to the next, and even within each album?

Stoupe: I don’t know, I think it’s just, I’m trying to keep some similarities but still try to push ourselves, push my limits.

AXS: You use quite a few samples in your music, so what’s the craziest sample you’ve ever used in a track?

Stoupe: I don’t know if it’s crazy really, but some places I get them might be some video games. When you dig you usually think of records and stuff, and sometimes you can dig in a media format, and find a lot of cool stuff from either nature, or from video games. Maybe stuff I might videotape, then use for drums.

AXS: Oh cool, so where do your videotaped drums from?

Stoupe: Like I went to Home Depot the other day, I got a cool sound from trashcans. Then I’m gonna convert that into a kick, or add it to an existing kick, there’s a lot of cool stuff at Home Depot you can use for sounds, like shakes and stuff, dropped sticks.

AXS: Wow, sounds from Home Depot, that’s pretty unique. You mentioned the video game samples as well, and on Visions of Ghandi you sampled Max Payne.

Stoupe: That level was hard as shit! You were in space if I remember. It was a hard level. So if I had to go back to get that beat I wasn’t going to be able to do it.

AXS: You’ve collaborated with Vinnie a lot, formed Vespertina with Lorrie Doriza, and Dutch with Liz Fullerton, you produced Rip the Jacker for Canibus. Are there some artists you haven’t yet worked with but would like to?

Stoupe: Black Thought or Ghostface maybe?

AXS: Glad you mentioned Black Thought, he’s someone who would go really well with your beats. He was also on “Get this Low” off of The Psysho-Social.

Stoupe: Yeah.

AXS: Plus he’s from Philly, so gotta make that happen.

Stoupe: He’s pretty big time.

AXS: He is pretty big time, [Black Thought] did really well on the last Statik Selektah album, so we need to make this collaboration happen.

Stoupe: Can you work on that?

AXS: Ok, we’ll get on that! We’ll hit him up after this. We were talking about a few of your albums, which of your albums or songs would you say are your favorites, because what’s popular with fans doesn’t necessarily always align with the artists’ preferences.

Stoupe: You know, that’s a good question. I’m not sure. Probably the ones that are less popular, because I’ve tried to be more experimental. I like the challenges of those songs. But the challenge that I had might not be understood by people that are telling me their favorite songs, or the ones we might do at a show.

AXS: And is that part of the reason that The Thief and the Fallen is more conceptual?

Stoupe: I think our maturity, us getting back together, and I guess you continually try to do new things and push yourself to being, not to be more experimental, but just more…not abstract either, just differ from what you’ve done before so you’re not consistent and you always try to keep stuff a little fresh and try to keep one foot in the thing that you’re good at and you try to put the other foot in something that you’re not as comfortable doing. But you do it for the challenge.

AXS: Speaking of records, what are some artists you’re currently listening to?

Stoupe: I’m revisiting Wagner, Der Ring des Nieblungen. It’s a complete set of operas, so it took him like 25 years to make. It’s good stuff.

AXS: Do you find it helps to listen and break it down, thinking about what chops you want to take?

Stoupe: Actually, I’m kind of listening from a music perspective, like what you’re trying to figure out musically. Not for samples or anything.

AXS: So for pure edification, that’s pretty neat. Is there anything you’re currently reading?

Stoupe: I do like comic books.

AXS: What comic books are you reading?

Stoupe: Well I just bought one, but I’m trying to find some new ones. Got any suggestions?

AXS: New comic books? Have you read Snowpiercer?

Stoupe: Lemme think, Snowpiercer? Nah.

AXS: It’s pretty good, it’s originally French, and the movie was quite good as well. Also, Afterlife With Archie.

Stoupe: Archie??

AXS: Yeah, it’s the Archie universe with Archi and Jughead, but a there’s a zombie apocalypse. So it’s kind of a nice twist.

Stoupe: That sounds legit! Do you go graphic novel with them, or go comic books?

AXS: Mainly graphic novels. Do you collect singles?

Stoupe: I just started to actually, I’m not sure how to collect exactly, but I’m trying to figure it out.

AXS: Any good finds recently?

Stoupe: No, I gotta hunt some more. I heard they’re starting an Avenger series again, it’s one of the series they’re re-starting again, so I want to start it now that they’ve changed the heroes so much. They’re resetting the heroes, and I want to start something from the beginning. I don’t know if it was the Avengers, it may have been Spiderman or something, but I remember it was Marvel.

AXS: Do you watch the Marvel films too?

Stoupe: Yeah. Pretty much that’s my speed as far as films go. I’m waiting for Stan Lee the whole time going “where’s his cameo?”

AXS: What’s your favorite Stan Lee cameo?

Stoupe: You know, I kind of like the one where it wasn’t a Marvel [Studios] film, but it was based on a Marvel comic. I didn’t know it was a Marvel film, and it was at the very end, and there was an animated Stan Lee.

AXS: There was an animated Stan Lee?

Stoupe: Yep, there was an animated Stan Lee at the end of “Big Hero 6.”

AXS: So what did you think of “Ultron?”

Stoupe: “Ultron?” Didn’t see it. I’m gonna wait til the theater clears out a bit, it’s probably still packed. Should I check it out?

AXS: Absolutely, we highly recommend it. 4 stars.

Stoupe: Hulk’s involvement was pretty weak, does he get a little more action?

AXS: Yes, he does get quite a bit more action, and there’s a pretty big twist involving him, ties him further to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Stoupe: Oh, do you watch the “S.H.I.E.L.D.” show?

AXS: Yeah, are you a fan?

Stoupe: I watched the first series, it was pretty cool. I liked how they tied things from the movies into the show. The backstory was pretty cool.

AXS: You mentioned video games earlier. Are you a pretty avid player?

Stoupe: No, I had to stop for a while and really concentrate on some stuff, but I hope to get back into it, pick up a new system or something.

AXS: Speaking of new technology, digital audio workstations make it so much easier to be a producer. What advice would you give an up and coming producer?

Stoupe: Not becoming a producer rather, but learning how to play an instrument well. Pick an instrument you think you can get down with and kind of learn the ins and outs of it, and I think the other stuff will fall into place.

AXS: So did you pick an instrument?

Stoupe: Well I can play many, but I’m not good at it. I can get music out of instruments, for samples and stuff, but if you were to ask me to perform a piece it would hard.

AXS: How about future projects? The Thief and the Fallen is coming out, but any albums slated after that?

Stoupe: Right now I’m halfway through a solo record I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s gonna be a little different than anything I’ve done before. Hopefully the entire thing is a cohesive story. Couple quirky things I’m trying to do with it to make it a little interesting.

AXS: That sounds awesome, will this have some vocals, or mainly instrumental?

Stoupe: It’s a mix, and the entire thing will have a loose conceptual theme about one topic, but there will be variations on that topic. And then hopefully when you get Black Thought to get in on it, and like I said the musicians will like interweave hip hop elements with other elements, like drum and bass type stuff. We’ll see where it goes.

AXS: Well, we’re looking forward to it, because it’s been really neat seeing the evolution of your production over the Jedi Mind Tricks catalog as well as the solo projects.

Stoupe: It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. We were getting serious about four years ago, so it’s starting to pick up a bit I hope, so I can finish it off.

AXS: Awesome. Can’t wait. Just wanted to thank you again, it’s been a huge honor speaking with you. Looking forward to the new album, got a vinyl pre-ordered.

Stoupe: Oh cool, thanks for the support. Are you in North Carolina?

AXS: Yeah.

Stoupe: I guess we’re not doing any shows down there though.

AXS: Unfortunately not.

Stoupe: I owe you a beer when we meet or something.

AXS: Sounds good!

Take a look at the upcoming Jedi Mind Tricks tour dates and grab your tix.

6/3 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
6/5 – New York, NY – The Bowery Ballroom
6/6 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
6/10 – Denver, CO – Cervante’s Masterpiece Ballroom
6/11 – Albuquerque, NM – Albuquerque Rail Yards
6/13 – San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
6/14 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
6/15 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy
6/16 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
6/17 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst Club
6/19 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
6/20 – Seattle, WA – The Crocodile

http://www.axs.com/news/stoupe-talks...nterview-54017

[shogun85]

New album is legit. I'm glad Stoupe is back but then again Vinnie has always had some good ears for beats so you can never go wrong with a JMT, AOTP, Heavy Metal Kings album if you're into that hardcore shit.

[madchild]

Vinnie's side on Jus Allah

[madchild]

Remix by Stoupe