UnRemixed

So it's not a new song ... but it's a new song. I took all the guest verses from the Charlie Hilton remixed "Hold On" joint and queued them up with the original instrumental by me and my dude Steven. Then I sprinkled in a little spoken word piece on the intro by nationals-ranking UT poet Calvin Smith. And I really like how it came out. The Hilton version is still the original monster, but this is a crazy nice alternative for the fans of my debut album. Even though it's no longer on iTunes. *Sad face*

Chris Campbell - Hold On (UnRemixed feat. Calvin Smith, brandUn DeShay, LaVish, Mike Dreams, Chris Barz, & Steven Gilpin)

And you may also notice from the little album art attached with it ... I have a new project in the works. It's called KOBE! and there ya go. Don't expect it until next year, though. It's gonna be my sophomore album that I'll go 100% independent with and print up hard copies from the start. I'll prolly be bothering all my collaborating emcee friends from the "Hold On" joint to see if they'll come through with solo features on brand new tracks. Hopefully I didn't get on their nerves too much with this last song. Ha.



... and do the John Wall.

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Hold On Remix

It's finally here. The "Hold On (Remix)" joint. Download it and help spread the word. I'll link up the original, too, just so any newcomers can hear where the sound came from. Charlie Hilton provided the monstrous re-production to Steven's original acoustic recording. This track is a big deal to me, so I hope you like it and support it by posting on Facebook/Twitter/whatever and making sure your fiends have heard it, too.

Chris Campbell - Hold On (feat. Steven Gilpin)
Chris Campbell - Hold On (Remix feat. brandUn DeShay, LaVish, Mike Dreams, Chris Barz, & Aaronn Ralph)

[alt. BandCamp link]

With Charlie Hilton providing the soundscape (who has produced tracks for such artists as QuESt, SHow TuFli, XV, Marky, and Frank Ramz) and verses from brandUn DeShay (who has worked with Charles Hamilton, Curren$y, Von Pea, Dom Kennedy, and TiRon), LaVish (frequent DeShay and Casey Veggies collaborator and featured Re-Up Spot artist), Mike Dreams (featured 2dopeboyz and DJ Booth artist, and writer for Refined Hype), and Chris Barz (who has worked extensively with Best Kept Secret as well as Jesse Boykins III and Tabi Bonney), the "Hold On" remix spans from Kentucky to Chicago to Los Angeles to Minnesota to Maryland to London. I'm personally happy at the fact that my III: Laptopical project that was released a grip ago is now complete. Ha.

Chris Campbell - III: Laptopical

Follow all of us on Twitter:
Chris Campbell
Charlie Hilton
brandUn DeShay
LaVish
Mike Dreams
Chris Barz

... and do the John Wall.

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III: Laptopical

III: Laptopical is finally here.

My brand new full length project, the third and final one in my "laptop trilogy", is now available to the public on this 1st of March in the year of 2010 featuring original production by Chris Campbell and Charlie Hilton as well as retakes of tracks produced by DJ Khalil, Mr. DJ, Elite, & Just Blaze. I do have to throw out the word of warning that the epic "Hold On (Remix)" listed as track 12 is not currently in the zip file for download. It's still pending completion with some amazing emcees lending their verses to the Charlie Hilton reinterpretation of my lead single from I Get That a Lot, but trust that I'll get that joint out the minute it's ready. I just didn't want to hold back this project any longer that I'd started producing for as far back ago as July '09. So here's the follow up to The Laptop Mixtape and Vol. 2, A Laptop Chronicle that have defined my progress as an emcee since 2007 to where I am today in this whole music thing.

Chris Campbell
III: Laptopical [alt. Mediafire link] [alt. bandcamp link]

Tracklist
1. Fear Freestyle (feat. Aaronn Ralph) [originally by Drake; prod. by DJ Khalil]
2. The Reason I Smile [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Pretty Wings" by Maxwell]
3. The Disorder [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Brand New Start" by Alter Bridge]
4. MJ is Hip Hop (Interlude) [mixed by Chris Campbell]
5. Why Oh Why (feat. Aaronn Ralph) [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson]
6. Giving In (feat. Aaronn Ralph) [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Give In to Me" by Michael Jackson feat. Slash]
7. No I [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Wicked Game" by Chris Issack]
8. Probably Won't [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Cooler Than Me" by Mike Posner]
9. Me [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Let Me Be Myself" by 3 Doors Down]
10. B.I.G. (Interlude) [mixed by Chris Campbell]
11. Da Art of Storytellin' Part 2 Freestyle [originally by OutKast; prod. by Mr. DJ]
12. Hold On (Remix feat. brandUn DeShay, LaVish, Mike Dreams, Chris Barz, & Aaronn Ralph) [prod. by Charlie Hilton, sampling "Hold On" by Chris Campbell feat. Steven Gilpin]
13. Oh So Much [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "No Other Love" by John Legend feat. Estelle]
14. Pseudo Making It [prod. by Chris Campbell, sampling "Not as We" by Alanis Morissette]
15. I Can't Win Freestyle (feat. Aaronn Ralph) [originally by Pack FM; prod. by Elite]
16. Exhibit A Freestyle [originally by Jay Electronica; prod. by Just Blaze]

... but do take my word for it.

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Til Erybody Know My Name

The third Christmas mixtape is from DC newcomer Chris Barz. And like fellow DMV representer Wale, Chris has the backing of the amazing Best Kept Secret production team. And neither Chris nor BKS disappoint.

The final track on this project is "When the Stars Come Out", which is a song that I hailed as an instant classic on my very first listen. And the subsequent spins haven't changed that one bit. I even got to catch up with his impressive EP entitled Do You Know Him?. All that was left after that was to wait for his proper release with some assistance from singer Jesse Boykins III (a frequent Mickey Factz collaborator) and Tabi Bonney (he of "Put It in the Pocket" fame).

Chris Barz -
Class[Sickz] Out the Dark

With a free-associating rhyming style and gravelly voice, Chris Barz will inevitably draw comparisons to Lil' Wayne upon first listen. That's neither to his betterment nor detriment, though. He easily distinguishes himself through his vast diversity in attacking the lush instrumentation of his BKS beats. Whether it's the ATCQ-influenced "House Party", the self-doubting and guidance-seeking poetic interlude of "Letter to God", the story-rapping about an inter-career relationship spanning between "Dreamers" and "Dreamers Part II", or the uplifting head-knodder of "Fall (Keep Movin')", Chris keeps you on your feet from track-to-track. He has the natural blend of lighter braggadocio lines mixed amongst the topical tracks that go deeper and can delve linguistically more complex into organic poetry-type rapping. You can't judge this project from any single song itself as it prospectively broadens with each new track. Here's hoping for his continued success with this and all future projects as he keeps spitting dopeness. And maybe even if he possibly jumps on the "Hold On (Remix)". Ha.

And on a final note, I cannot stress to you how greatly this album is produced. Chris made a perfect choice is going over mostly all Best Kept Secret joints. Between this project and helming Wale's The Mixtape About Nothing, I don't know how they haven't taken over more of the rap game. Certain producers can create an epicness about them, and BKS definitely does this.

Tracklist:
1. Hustle Music
2. Mr. Barz, Mr. Barz
3. Wherever We Go (feat. Jesse Boykins III)
4. What's the Definition of a Class[Sickz]?
5. School Ain't Workin' (No Money)
6. Dreamers (feat. Jesse Boykins III)
7. Dreamers Part II - Somethin' Stupid
8. Interlude - Letter to God
9. You Cool
10. House Party
11. OK Baby
12. Til Erybody Know
13. On the Radio (She Crazy feat. Tabi Bonney)
14. Fall (Keep Movin')
15. When the Stars Come Out

... but do take my word for it.

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Instant Classic

I really like it when I find dope music accidentally. This time it was off of brandUn DeShay's twitter. Just happened to click on some dude's site that he was complimenting and I found one of my favorite songs of the year. Yeah.

So now I'm an instant fan and advocate of all things ChRis BaRz. I'll give the Maryland representer a proper post once I've had time to digest his debut project and learn up on his style, but for right you'll have to get this single joint up on your iPod and find out what you(& I)'ve been missing. Class[Sickz] Out The Dark coming soon ...

ChRis BaRz - When the Stars Come Out

... but do take my word for it.

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