Tha Connection

now playing: Tha Connection - Take It Higher

Representing Hempstead, Long Island, New York, the duo Hus Tha KingPin and SmooVth Dude form Tha Connection, one of the rawest and most soulful hip-hop groups of the 21st century. Young in age but old souls in the game with musical influences including Slick Rick, Wu Tang Clan, DJ Premier, AZ, DITC, Pete Rock, Jeru the Damaja, Nas, MF Doom and Jean Grae to just name a few.

Tha Connection's very first and quite unknown release is called Connect and it came out in 2007. I didn't find any reviews or articles about it and there was only one blog post that I came up with so it really seems like the album is pretty much in the dark. There is a download link to the album on Tha Connection's myspace (although sharebee has been down the whole day, so I'll put another link below).

Generally, it is said that they made their first appearance on 12Bit's Stranded on Planet Rock album on Rawkus Records in 2008. They represented 11 out of 23 tracks on this release.

Download Connect

Download Stranded on Planet Rock

After that, they were featured on the Cosmic Bounce EP by SmooVth and Drums, and Hus appeared on Fella Vaughn's Love Song on Do My Thing single. They also gave out a couple of promotional EPs on myspace in orded to introduce themselves to the online hip-hop fans.

Tha Connection released their second album via Goon Trax (a label in Tokyo, Japan) entitled Moon Water in 2008. It was first available only in Japan but now it has found it's way to listeners all over the world. The album has jazzy influences and smooth and sound lyrics. Overall, it's about classic hip-hop, and the duo's style has seemed very strong from the beginning.

 Download Moon Water

Also in 2008, they went to Domination Recordings and started to work on Universal Dominance. It was a free release, a collection of remixes and sort of a “best of” that entails their brief but promising recording careers. On a non-stop grind, it didn't take long for them to finish their second release on Domination Recordings - Trapeze came out later in the same year. Loyal to their real underground hip-hop style, Trapeze is full of dope beats and rhymes - not exactly as jazzy but a bit more boom bap than Moon Water. One more release for 2008 (or maybe early 2009) from Tha Connection was Take It Higher (Limited Edition), not just a single but kind of an EP containing 11 tracks.

Download Trapeze / Universal Dominance / Take It Higher (Limited Edition)

Next up, in June 2009 the Love Royale was released on Feelin' Music. Again, the reviews have been great and it is said that Love Royale started a new phase in their musical career. Soulful, jazzy, smooth, well produced and original. This album showcases well what's typical of Tha Connection: 19 tracks (that's a lot for a hip-hop album, isn't it) but still it isn't lenghty. All in all, these dudes have been really prolific but able to come up with good material and not repeat themselves too much.

Download Love Royale

Buy Love Royale

2010 gave us one full release from Tha Connection: Connect 101, and a remixed version of it: Connect 102: Fresh Sly Remixes.

Download Connect 101 / Connect 102: Fresh Sly Remixes

In addition to their common work, both SmooVth and Hus have been doing their own things, too. Both have released solo albums and are about to do so in the future, so keep your eyes and ears open.

Tha Connection is in a way bringing it back to the 90's with their sound but, then again, it is fresh. Personally, it is what I've been longing to hear for a while now: real soulful hip-hop that isn't trying to be something else.