Hip-Hop legends De La Soul and Pharoahe Monch have teamed up with Da Beatminerz and an ensemble cast for the new single “My Year,” which was released in conjunction with an animated music video.
The track features verses from Rasheed Chappell and Corey Glover of Living Colour and marks the second single from Da Beatminerz’s upcoming album Stifled Creativity set to drop on June 21, 2024.
Da Beatminerz, composed by Walter “Mr. Walt” and Ewart “DJ Evil Dee” Dewgarde alongside early crew member Baby Paul, have a legacy anchored in revolutionizing the ’90s streetwise Hip-Hop sound.
This collaboration serves as a reminder of the heavyweights’ contribution to the genre, reflecting on a partnership steeped in decades of shared history and mutual respect.
Anthony Edwards animated the video for “My Year.” It leverages the artists’ personas and lyrical energy, splitting the scenes to match the rhythm, pace, and message of the song.
Edwards stated, “The music and lyrics help prompt some great results as well as help with breaking the scenes apart based on the rapper’s cadence and patterns.”
Adding layers to the narrative, Edwards has created visually compelling loops that mirror the vocal performance resonantly.
Da Beatminerz’s Mr. Walt remarked on the collaboration, emphasizing lifelong connections with the artists involved.
“Been friends with De La since ’88 and Monch since ’87, so the relationship was already there. I met them all at the record store I worked at (Music Factory in Jamaica, Queens) and ‘My Year’ was one of the first songs we worked on when we started the album,” he said, reminiscing how difficult health issues delayed the project but made the final product even more treasured.
Despite challenges, unique voices like Rasheed Chappell and Corey Glover rounded out the project perfectly, making it a tribute to old and new friendships.
The forthcoming album Stifled Creativity, which breaks their two-decade hiatus after releasing full-length projects, holds significant meaning for Da Beatminerz fans.
Preceded by the previous single “Seckle… Once Again” featuring Hip-Hop royalty KRS-One and Smif-N-Wessun, anticipation is thoroughly amplified amongst the fan base.
Da Beatminerz’s production credits read like a history lesson in Hip-Hop, stretching over projects by heavyweights including Smif-N-Wessun (Dah Shinin), Black Moon (Enta Da Stage), and contemporary features for artists like Eminem and Ghostface Killah.