Edan - 'Promised Land'

Samples 'Dark, Dark' by Arik Einstein which is also a great tune

Serengeti & Polyphonic - 'Sunrise'

Just discovered Serengeti and the album 'Don't Give Up' produced in collaboration with Polyphonic. I love it. I think I've been looking for it for a while without actually knowing what I was looking for.

This track sort of reminds me of Beirut (the band), except crucially with a spoken-word/hiphop element.

Wish I could find video links for 'Eleven' and 'Puppydog Love'. Seek the album out if 'Sunrise' is your sort of thing, you won't regret it.

New: MF Doom - 'Cellz'

The sample at the beginning is Charles Bukowski reading 'Dinosauria, We' (text here) which I assume was sampled from the documentary film 'Born Into This'. I recommend watching it whether you're a fan or just curious.

As well as this latest offering from ol' Metalface, Buck 65's also notable for producing material that's either influenced by or actually based upon Bukowski's writing - see 'The Floor' from 'Secret House Against The World' for instance, which is adapted from Bukowski's poem 'A Smile To Remember'.

It's cool to see another of my favourite hiphop artists collide with one of my favourite poets/authors. Words are words, separations of genre or artform aside. It's all one really.

Nasir Jones (Nas) - 'New York State Of Mind pt 2'

I've always wondered if this line is a reference to Hubert Selby Jr's 'Requiem For A Dream', which happens to be set in New York city:

"Momma shoulda cuffed me to the radiator;
and why not? Mighta saved me later from my block.."

Blasted this one on repeat on the old iPod when we were in NYC early last year.

Hiphop. Street poetry. Love it. Speaks to me when writing gritty imaginary citylife too. Forget what your parents told you: there's no such thing as bad influences.