Mike Phillips - "A True Story"

Mike Phillips is one of the most dope contemporary jazz saxophonists. I have friends who don't really listen to jazz become a fan. "A True Story (Tabernacle - Atl)", from his debut album You Have Reached Mike Phillips (2002), is one of  my favorite tracks. The song features a "poem that sounds like an erotic encounter between two people, until it turns out to be between a man and his saxophone." Listen to the song below. 

T.I. Back?

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last week, you've had to hear the hype around the new songs released featuring T.I. Fresh out of an Atlanta halfway house, Tip has been featured on songs with Jeezy, 2Chainz, and Future. He also dropped his first single entitled "I'm Flexin'"  produced by Big K.R.I.T. (I was slightly disappointed to hear K.R.I.T. didn't have a verse).  

2Pac - "Violent"

"Is There Any Love?" - Trevor Dandy

In 1971, gospel singer Trevor Dandy released the soulful "Is There Any Love?" While it may not sound like your stereotypical gospel track at first, it still has a powerful message to deliver. 

David Ruffin - "Slow Dance"

David Ruffin's "Slow Dance" comes from his last studio album, Gentleman Ruffin. More known for his work with the Temptations, Ruffin proved he still had it with this 1980 release. You may recognize the artwork as the inspiration for Wiz Khalifa's breakout mixtape, Kush & OJ. If the track sounds familiar and you listen to Little Brother, it's because "Slow Dance" was sampled by 9th Wonder for "Take It Slow" off the The Minstrel Show.  Listen/download the track and album below:

And If You Don't Know...Aloe Blacc's Good Things

If you don't know about Aloe Blacc, you are sleeping good R&B soul music. Aloe is a singer/rapper/musician from California. Last year he released the album Good Things, which I thought was one of the best R&B albums of the year. When I first heard it, I was instantly reminded of soul artists such as Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield, and Al Green. It is refreshing to hear R&B that is genuine and doesn't sound like every other song at the top of the pop charts. His first single, "I Need A Dollar" is definitely a standout track. It is about a man's struggle after losing his job due to layoffs and how he is coping. This song is also used for the opening credits on HBO's How to Make It In America and for a recent Boost Mobile commercial. Check out some of my favorite songs from the album below. And if you don't know, now you know...

Colin Munroe - Colin Munroe is the Unsung Hero (Mixtape) (2008)

This mixtape comes from a singer/producer by the name of Colin Munroe from Ontario, Canada. I first heard of the artist when his remix to Kanye's "Flashing Lights" created a little buzz a couple years ago (if you haven't heard it, listen here: "I Want Those Flashing Lights (Kanye Remix)").  Later that year Colin dropped this project, which sounds like a indie rock-hip/hop-pop mash. Wale, Drake, Dallas Austin, Joell Ortiz, Novel, Mickey Factz, and a few others make appearances on The Unsung Hero. My favorite tracks are "Piano Lessons", "Will I Stay (Remix)", "One More Chance", and "What the Young Man Says." The links to download or listen are below.