“If Diamond District is any indication, DMV really does have what Oddisee refers to as ‘the hottest edition of what you’ve been missing.'” – HipHopDX.com
“On ‘Back To Basics,’ the MCs liken themselves to the ’93 version of De La Soul. While it’s a bit too early to go that far, Diamond District comes close.” – PrefixMag.com
“In the Ruff (Mello Music Group) recalls hip-hop from yesteryear (and sometimes Slum Village at their best), but remains quite forward thinking nonetheless… Simultaneously thoughtful and rugged, intelligent and funky, Diamond District have created an excellent album that will hopefully fly way above the radar as 2010 approaches.” – LostAtSea.net
The Songs:
DMV trio Diamond District are proud to announce the release of a trifecta of beats from their celebrated album In The Ruff. The instrumental triple threat includes tracks “Streets Won’t let Me Chill,” “In the Ruff,” and “Off the Late Night”
Released at the end of 2009 through Mello Music Group, In the Ruff garnered much praise and acclaim from the hip-hop community, making countless year-end lists including hip-hop heavyweight websites KevinNottingham.com, PopMatters.com, and DJ Premier’s blog, to name a few. The album also brought an avalanche of well-deserved attention to the until-now underrated DMV hip-hop scene. The past meets the future on In The Ruff, where beats steeped in the boom-bap of yesteryear collide with dynamic verses from the DMV crew, giving fans the world over a taste of the D.C. flavor to savor.
To celebrate the triumph of In the Ruff, Diamond District are now dropping a special triple pack of instrumental beats featuring the tracks “Streets Won’t let Me Chill,” “In The Ruff” and “Off the Late Night.” Combining an infectious drum pattern, a simple chord progression and an addictive hook, “The Streets Won’t let Me Chill” instrumental lays the foundation for a backbeat driven street anthem. Stripped down to its instrumental form, “In the Ruff” reveals an essence of rawness that the DMV hip-hop scene is renown for, while the “Off The Late Night” instrumental gives beat junkies a generous fix of Diamond District’s soul-infused sounds.
“Streets Won’t Let Me Chill” (Instrumental): http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-Streets_Wont_Let_Me_Chill-Inst.mp3
“In The Ruff” (Instrumental):http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-In_The_Ruff-Inst.mp3
“Off The Late Night” (Instrumental):http://media.audibletreats.com/Diamond_District-Off_The_Late_Night-Inst.mp3