Hey there to our Planet Ill crew and supporters during this Halloween ‘09 Week!

While waiting for November 1st to roll around for the candy to get on sale, it’s time again to drop the goods for some Indiesent Exposure – the weekly writeup and music download piece here on Planet Ill were we strive to give some well deserved exposure to quality artists doing their thing throughout the independent music circuit.

Pretty much every music genre gets covered in this section at one time or another – Hip-Hop, Soul, Funk, Jazz, Rock, Reggae, House, etc. – to keep the audio goodies a bit on the diverse & lively side.

Hopefully post by post, we’ll give your ears a temporary respite from some of the audio wackness, boredom and/or iCoonery that bombards the masses each day via the mainstream radio and TV airwaves.

If you like what you hear in this section (some of which will hopefully be new to folks), PLEASE support these artists as much as you can in the future – hit up their websites, purchase some product, go to their shows, etc., especially since at the end of the day, they need to eat like everyone else for putting in their work somewhere down the line.

This week, I’m hitting up what’s becoming my favorite internet distributor for indie music for 2009 for some nice to freemium (a.k.a. you can get it for free, but if you dig it, folks can drop some $ in the iPocket) Hip-Hop, Soul, Rock and Reggae EPs, mixtapes and albums for y’all – Bandcamp.

** NOTE: For REAL, I am loving Bandcamp right now – indie artists better stop sleeping on it (especially since it’s FREE to setup, looks professional and gives audio geeks mad options to cop your music). **

Check out everything below from these talented artists and let us over here Planet Ill know what you think when you get the chance – hope everyone enjoys the selections!

Here we go:

South Bronx, NY, and North Carolinian Hip-Hop MC representative Chaundon has been doing his thing for a minute as a part of The Justus League crew’s many releases and via his own mixtapes and albums.

I’ve always liked his smooth and animated flow and along with the face the bro actually has a nice ear for beats that match him, Chaundon’s music is a good look for folks who dig the “traditional” boom bap rhyme style of Hip-Hop but don’t want to hear an MC that sounds dated or unwilling to evolve.

After checking his latest mixtape project below, The Hall of Justus & The Bash Brothers Presents: Chaundon – Black Dynamite’s Revenge, people can check out more of what’s happening with Chaundon musically and otherwise over at his official website at http://IamChaundon.blogspot.com.

The Hall of Justus & The Bash Brothers Presents: Chaundon – Black Dynamite’s Revenge (Mixed By DJ Mickey Knox)
Download Link

Tracklisting:

1. Broken Heart
2. Girls Girls Girls
3. Want Me Back *
4. Single Ladies
5. Distance
6. Name Droppin’
7. Truthfully Speaking *
8. Lucifer
9. Everybody’s Hungry *
10. You Ain’t Got Nothing *
11. Who Shot Ya
12. 24 Hours To Live
13. Fear *
14. Trust *
15. Crazy
16. Co-Star *

* favorite tracks

Soul Majestic is a roots reggae music collective based out of Santa Cruz, CA who have been doing live shows and releases officially since 2002. Their music consists of a pretty fly sonic mix of dub breaks, mid-tempo gooves and ballads to get folks in a mellowed out type of vibe.

They have a LOT of reggae legend heavy hitters on the A Better World LP who I don’t think would run with some wack cats (much less those who don’t respect the music and culture) like Sly & Robbie, Queen Omega, Tony Moses and more.

The fact that the album download is offered for what you want to pay (free to whatever) for you to see what the deal is with them is pretty sweet as well.

Feel free to see what else is going down in Soul Majestic’s world over at their official website at http://www.SoulMajestic.com.

Soul Majestic – A Better World LP
Download Link

Tracklisting:

1. Better World
2. Rough n’ Tuff feat. Sly & Robbie *
3. Feels Good feat. Tony Moses
4. Next Generation
5. Tonight feat. Queen Omega *
6. First Light
7. I Rise *
8. Guidance feat. Luv Fyah
9. Musical Farmer
10. Blue Mountain
11. Send The Train *
12. Seek The Truth
13. One Heart *

* favorite tracks

The Newark, NJ Hip-Hop group Brokn.Englsh has been doing their thing with dope live performances and dropping heat on the mixtape & indie Hip-Hop circuit for a minute, especially around where I ran into their music over in New Jersey.

Consisting of members Myk Dyaleks, Lyriq To Go and C.I.O.N, they definitely get it in for some nice & diverse Hip-Hop vibes and flavors.

The Dreamscape EP is out as a preview and opener for their upcoming album The Drawing Board that’s dropping on November 17, 2009.

Get more news, music and information about Brokn.Englsh over at their official website, http://www.BroknEnglsh.com.

BrokN.Englsh – Dreamscape EP
Download Link

Tracklisting:

1. Intro
2. Right About Now *
3. Get It Goin
4. Rapper Story Pt. 1
5. Yeah *
6. Pop Shit
7. Rapper Story Pt. 2 *
8. Snow Day feat. 8thW1 *
9. Do It 4 U (This Is For)
10. Rapper Story Pt. 3
11. Outro

* favorite tracks

I found out about Shalonda via folks hitting me up on my Twitter account during the last week about her excellent mixtape (if your local A&R’s intern is not on there trying to check artists out, why not?).

Don’t know much about the sis except that she can sing some great sounding Soul Music and write a pretty dope song (and did it all in the crib on Garageband, score 1 point for Mac).

Here is the story behind her Just Go…A Mixtape project from her official website (http://HeyShalonda.com) – give it a listen and let us know what you think:

“just go” was born because I WAS TIRED. (tired of waiting. tired of wishing. tired of thinking about music in the abstract.) i wanted to make something, and i wanted to make it in my own time. i wanted the freedom to sing the same line six-hundred-and-fifty-two times without a studio bill. i wanted something—anything—to which i could point and say: “i did that; that’s my work.” so, i started recording in my bedroom…on garageband. i am not a pc.

the initial idea was to pair jazz standards with hip hop beats. simple. BUT it almost didn’t see the light of day because i didn’t take the idea seriously when it came to me. many thanks to my best good friend, HillCity, for saving the idea from its impending death.

after the rescue, i proudly took my place as the modern day chuck woolery, matchmaking in a ninja-like fashion. “Lyrics, I’d like you to meet Beats. Beats, this is my friend Lyrics.” they’re unlikely pairs but they work.

and there you have it—my first project. i’m a baby in this music game and i definitely look forward to adding more notches to the kitchen wall. my EP is next! excitingville.

btw, it would make my WHOLE day if you sent me a message–a hello, a goodbye, an i-love-you, a question, you can tell me how much you like my purple beard–whatever you like. just leave me a little something. i’d love to hear from you.

Shalonda – Just Go…A Mixtape
Download Link

Tracklisting:

1. Fever
2. Misty
3. Strangers in the Night *
4. They Know It’s Summertime
5. No No Run *
6. BlessLockDown *
7. The Rising Sun *

* favorite tracks

And to wrap everything up, the fine folks over at AfroPunk have dropped another excellent (and wonderfully free) 16 track Black Rock/Black Alternative music compilation for people to check out a nice selection of U.S. & international acts with Afro-Punk Vol. 2: Fuck Rock Stars, which includes a new track from spoken word artist Saul Williams.

If you like any of the artists on this release, they all have pages on the AfroPunk website as well as their own various websites folks can visit & purchase music from…support!

Afro-Punk Vol. 2: Fuck Rock Stars
Download Link

Tracklisting:

1. CX KiDTRONiK feat. TCHaKA DiALLO – Let’s Go Crazy
2. Ezra Bang & Hot Machine – What U Can’t Kill U Must Envy *
3. The oOohh Baby Gimme Mores – Batman *
4. Activator – Shackle
5. American Fangs – Le Kick
6. Peekaboo Theory – Immediate Hesitation
7. Saul Williams – Convict Colony *
8. IrRAdio – Call The Nation
9. The Thirst – Ready To Move
10. The Cool and Deadly – Rudeboys Revenge *
11. McRad – Weakness
12. The London Souls – She’s So Mad
13. Earl Greyhound – Oye Vaya
14. The Smyrk – The End Of Jason Todd
15. The Carps – It’s Raining In The Projects, But It’s Sunny In Africa *
16. IrRAdio – Hero’s Journey *

*favorite tracks

fuseboxradio@gmail.com

DJ Fusion is the creator and co-host/mix DJ of the syndicated FuseBox Radio Broadcast (http://FuseBoxRadio.podomatic.com/) and the website BlackRadioIsBack.com, two areas trying to fight audio B.S. one day at a time…check folks out around either way when you can.

Follow Us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/planetill

Join Us on the Planet Ill Facebook Group for more discussion

Check out Planet Ill’s page on Essence.com

Follow us on Networked Blogs