After making their indelible marks on the game luminaries KRS-One and Buckshot, arguably two of the games most prolific emcees, will link up to give fans a collaborative album entitled Survival Skills. The project will be released on Duck Down Records, September 15,th while the duo will be featured on The Rock The Bells tour this Summer.

With guests ranging from Mary J. Blige, Slug Of Atmosphere, K’NAAN, Talib Kweli, Immortal Technique, Melanie Fiona, Naledge of Kidz In The Hall, Sean Price, Geo of Blue Scholars, Smif N Wessun and Rock of Heltah Skeltah, “Survival Skills” represents a diverse range of topics, all while maintaining a consistent sound. The album has production from Havoc of Mobb Deep, 9th Wonder, Black Milk, ILL MIND, Coptic, Moss, Nottz, Marco Polo, and KHRYSIS!

On the surface the album is a testament to the resiliency of two lyrical titans, but at its root Survival Skills is a blueprint for life. For instance on the infectious head-nodder “Robot,” which was released 6 weeks prior to Jay Z’s “The Death Of Auto Tune” track, and already available World Wide at Digital Retail Shops, such as iTunes, the duo speak-out against the recent overuse of the Auto-Tune vocal effect in urban music, but under the surface the message is much deeper. “I don’t want people to get the averaged clichéd version and thinking that we’re dissing people,’” Buckshot clarifies. “What we’re calling out here is the biters, the people that feel like because this guy sold X amount of records doing this, that I’m going to turn around and do it as well,” KRS says of the array of artists who have followed in the creative footsteps of Roger Troutman, Afrikka Bambatta, Teddy Riley and T-Pain. Despite its heavy message, sonically the track, produced by Mobb Deep’s Havoc, is as inviting as anything on the radio today. The video for “ROBOT,” directed by Todd Angkaswan, has been added into rotation at MTV & BET. The track has also been included in the sound track for Activision’s upcoming Tony Hawk skate game in stores this Fall.

Coincidently, ROBOT is not the first example of where Jay Z has released similar material and concepts from KRS-ONE & BUCKSHOT. In 2003, Buckshot’s group Black Moon recorded a song called “Stay Real,” which was, again, released 6 weeks prior to Jay Z’s “Public Service Announcement” track, that ironically contained the same sample as Black Moon’s “Stay Real.”

A couple years prior to this Jay Z released “THE BLUEPRINT,” which was the same title used by KRS-ONE in his classic album, Boogie Down Productions “Ghetto Music: The BLUEPRINT of Hip Hop.”

KRS-One and Buckshot are the epitome of rap longevity and relevancy. After making his 1987 debut with Boogie Down Productions on the seminal rap classic Criminal Minded, KRS-One instantly became an icon going on to release a gang of essential works including 1988’s By All Means Necessary and 1993’s Return of the Boom Bap. Similarly when Buckshot came into the game in 1993 with Enta Da Stage as Black Moon’s front man, fans instantly took notice.

And the party never stopped, KRS-One’s 2007 collaborative album with producer Marly Marl, (“Hip Hop Lives”) was critically acclaimed and his work on “Classic,” the Kanye West, Nas and Rakim featured track celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Nike’s Air Force 1 shoe, earned the Teacher a Grammy nod. Buckshot has continued to churn-out some of the game’s most progressive projects as well, most notably his 9th Wonder-produced albums Chemistry (2005) and The Formula (2008). Couple those with the licensing deals which have landed Buck’s music on networks like ESPN and The History Channel, as well as an episode of CSI Las Vegas and it’s clear to see why the Boot Camp general has remained one of the game’s most influential.

“Ever since 1993 we’ve been passing each other on tour or in the studio saying, one day we should tour together, or one day we should do a record together,” says KRS of the long-awaited union. “Well finally myself and Buckshot have the chance to collaborate on a straight up and down MC’in project.”

For all of their individual accomplishments, KRS-ONE and Buckshot remain fans of each other’s work; complementing each other’s strengthens. “That’s still KRS-One at the end of the day. I didn’t know how to rhyme back when I first started listening to Kris,” says Buck alluding to his partner’s dominant history. In turn, KRS gives all praises to the Black Moon front man. “I am the humble teacher on the track, Buckshot is clearly the man,” he says.

Still gritty tracks like “Clean Up,” featuring Rock of Heltah Skeltah and the politically minded “Running Away” featuring Immortal Technique, make Survival Skills a Hip-Hop fan’s dream, catering to those that love lyrics and the boom-bap. Equally as rich is the album’s Black Milk-produced track, “The Way I Live” featuring the Queen of hip-hop soul, Mary J. Blige. Together they create a triumphant anthem for all those on the grind trying to conquer their dreams. The song’s summery feel and soothing melodies make it an instant hit.

Throughout, both veterans sound as hungry and invigorated as any of their rap counterparts. “Projects like these are projects that motivate me,” KRS says. “The idea to work with another MC that has his own persona and style and do a real collaboration in the studio, that’s motivation. I already got 16 albums of my own,” he adds.

What KRS-One and Buckshot have created is an album that is socially responsible, lyrically sharp and sonically banging. Buckshot sums it up best, “Hip-Hop was started as an option to not killing each other. We were in the ghettos and we were real fucked up. We created Hip-Hop so we didn’t have to do that anymore.”

“The album is called Survival Skills, because that is what it takes.”

KRS-ONE & BUCKSHOT Upcoming Tour Dates:

Rock The Bells

KRS-ONE Hosting

BUCKSHOT A PERFORMING ARTIST

Washington, DC – Sunday July 12th

Merriweather Post Pavilion

Boston, MA – Saturday July 18th

Comcast Center

New York, NY – Sunday July 19th

Jones Beach Theater

Vancouver, BC, CAN – Saturday August 1st

Deer Lake Park

Calgary, AB, CAN – Sunday August 2nd

Shaw Millennium Park

Denver, CO – Thursday August 6th

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Los Angeles, CA – Saturday August 8th

San Manuel Amphitheatre

San Francisco, CA – Sunday August 9th

Shoreline Amphitheatre

Myspace Album Release Show – New York, NY – Friday – 9/11

Rhymesayers Entertainment and Rose Presents bring you the second annual Soundset Festival: the official Midwest kick-off of the summer with over eight hours of the best independent Hip Hop music in one day. It all goes down at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN (rain or shine).

Date: Sunday, May 24, 2009 – Gates at 11:00AM CST
Canterbury Park – Shakopee, MN

In 2008, Rhymesayers and Rose Presents brought the first year of Soundset to an outdoor festival setting at the Metrodome parking lot in Minneapolis with over 14,000 people in attendance, including: two stages with over 40 artists performing, b-boy battles and live DJs throughout the day, live skateboard demos and a low rider car show.

Soundset 09, year two. Atmosphere, fresh off the success of When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Sh*t Gold, the recent reissue of God Loves Ugly and the 34-city When God Gives You Ugly Tour, come back home to Minnesota to headline Soundset 09. The Pharcyde will play the main stage with the full original line-up including: Imani, Bootie Brown, SlimKid3 and Fatlip. Having not played the Minneapolis area since Rhymesayers released the MM..Food album in 2004, the masked man, MF Doom returns for a rare one-time performance! Following the broad critical acclaim for his Undisputed Truth album and his latest EP The Truth Is Here, Brother Ali is set to deliver his raw emotion and political views to the main stage. Freeway, of Roc-A-Fella, and State Property, along with Seattle super producer Jake One, join forces to perform the classics and new material from their upcoming Rhymesayers album, The Stimulus Package. Sage
Francis and B. Dolan, co-creators of knowmore.org, are brothers in corporate crime fighting and indie-rap face smashing, will be appearing courtesy of Strange Famous Records. After touring the world, underground legend, revolutionary leader and accomplished battle champion, Immortal Technique brings his political intenseness to Minnesota this May. I’ll Sleep When You Are Dead was declared a four star album and “a symphony of hero-spinning Hip Hop” by AP; El P (a.k.a El Producto) from New York’s own Definitive Jux camp, along with Mr Dibbs & TMQ are confirmed for the main stage. Never Better was declared the “Best Hip Hop Album of 2009″ by Alarm Magazine, Rhymesayers’ own, Doomtree member and local hero P.O.S returns for a second year in a row.

With options of a main stage, Fifth Element stage, DJ tent with a national b-boy/b-girl battle, slow & low custom car show and 3rd Lair skate demo, Soundset is guaranteed to bring the fun for the whole family!

Confirmed artists for Soundset 09 include: Atmosphere, The Pharcyde, MF
Doom, Brother Ali, Freeway & Jake One, Sage Francis with B. Dolan,
Immortal Technique, P.O.S, El P with Mr. Dibbs & TMQ, Eyedea & Abilities,
Abstract Rude + Aceyalone & Myka 9 = Haiku D’Etat with DJ Drez, Prince
Paul, Buck 65, Blueprint with DJ Rare Groove, DJ Numark, Heiruspecs,
Cunninlynguists, Blue Scholars, Sims of Doomtree, One Be Lo, I Self
Devine, Awol One, Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak = Hand Over Fist of
Doomtree, Toki Wright, Grieves, Unknown Prophets, Lil Buddy Mclain,
Just.Live, Kristoff Krane, El Guante, Plain Ole Bill, BK One, King Otto, and
DJ Nikoless.

Tickets are on sale NOW to the general public through www.ticketmaster.com and Fifth Element. General admission tickets are $30 plus applicable fees (parking is included in ticket price), After Party and VIP options are also available.