Doomtree's Lazerbeak & Plain Ole Bill announce new album, rap contest

Doomtree beatmaker Lazerbeak and P.O.S.'s longtime backing DJ Plain Ole Bill (of Get Cryphy fame) just announced their forthcoming album, Lava Bangers, is now available for pre-order. They also dropped a track from the album, "Cement Blocks/Knight Fighter," along with a rap contest where you can get into the act. Listen to the track below and read on for details:


Lazerbeak "Cement Blocks/Knight Fighter" by doomtree

Here's how it works: Download the "Cement Blocks/Knight Fighter" instrumental HERE. Then make your very own song over any portion of the beat that you'd like. You can sing, rap, tap dance, play jazz clarinet, seriously anything goes. It can be 30 seconds or the full 4 minutes, whatever you're into. Then all you have to do is send in your finished composition in the form of an MP3 or YouTube video to rapcontest@doomtree.net (no attachments over 15 MB please). We'll be accepting submissions for the following three weeks, and on the big album release date we will announce our most favorite top 15 picks (voted on by all of Doomtree). At that point we'll open up the polls to the public and let the rest of the world duke it out and vote for their favorite. The person/group with the most votes by the following week will be crowned the winner and will receive their very own unreleased Lazerbeak beat absolutely free of charge, plus some serious shine time all over doomtree.net once that song is completed.

Via @DOOMTREE
Submitted by @jahnapeloquin

YouTube features Bon Iver videos made by locals on main page today

How cool is this?! YouTube has jumped on the Bon Iver bandwagon upon the release of his just-release suite of music videos that accompany each song on his self-titled release. We know by now that locals Dan Huiting, Isaac Gale, David Jensen, and JoLynn Garnes worked on those videos, but YouTube has taken it a step further and featured videos from the directors featured on that album. That means videos from the directors' archives including Doomtree, Lazerbeak, Astronautalis, GAYNGS, Heiruspecs, and MN Original, featured on YouTube's main page today. Head over there now to watch the videos.



And in other Bon Iver news, his video album has snagged some high-profile press on Time.com and the Fader. Minnesota boys, you done good.

Via Dan Huiting on Facebook
Submitted by @jahnapeloquin

Video: Hand Over Fist & Shux at Triple Rock

Some high-quality video has turned up of last Thursday's Hand Over Fist and Shux hip hop performance at Triple Rock Social Club, where Doomtree's P.O.S., Mike Mictlan and Lazerbeak performed the entire Hand Over Fist album in entirety. Check it out:

Sims performs for City of Music, gives tour of Mpls

Via our pals at Gimme Noise, Dan Huiting of MPLS.TV's City of Music did a fun video with Doomtree emcee Sims (who also just did an impromptu performance at Saturday's MPLS.TV taping at the Sound Gallery). Joined by beatmaker Lazerbeak, Sims brings us through the streets of Minneapolis and to the crew's longtime hangout, Muddy Waters, with their performance of the title track off Sims' new solo album, Bad Time Zoo.

City of Music: SIMS from MPLS.TV on Vimeo.

Submitted by @jahnapeloquin