The late Disco D (born David Shayman) was by all means one of the most hard-working producers to ever touch an MPC or mixing console. Working with everyone from 50 Cent to Lil’ Scrappy to Princess Superstar, D possessed dynamic beatmaking skills and endless creativity that made him a hot commodity in the industry.

The recently released Hustle Harder XXL DVD (Kagi Media) showcases Shayman at his most intimate and professional. Focused, incessantly joking, and often stoned, he pulls beats together, takes meetings with label heads (and gives them tons of shit), strikes deals, and gives studio tips during the course of the DVD, making Hustle Harder one of the few films to expose the genius at work without losing that retains the interest of both serious producers and casual fans.

After Shayman’s tragic suicide last year, Hustle Harder acts as a great portrait of a man with experience. He discusses police confrontations in Brazil, his holocaust-survivor grandfather’s suicide, and a host of other details from his life. Rejoice in the DIY work ethic and bag a copy of this.

Hustle Harder XXL is out now on Kagi Media. 

Arrested this past March for over a dozen alleged graffiti crimes, New York-based artist Alan Ket is looking at about 10 years of prison time if found guilty. Ket, who has been a part of the NYC graffiti movement since the late ’80s, and who founded both Stress and Complex magazines, has no previous criminal record, only an impressive artistic resume.

The Hip-Hop Theatre Festival, Mass Appeal magazine, and the Powerhouse Arena have planned an event to raise money for his legal defense fund with The Walls Belong to Us, a silent auction slated for the beginning of August.

The benefit will include canvases, sculptures, prints and silk screens from Martha Cooper, Futura 2000, and several other artists. A large portion of the works are being donated exclusively for this auction. An open bar, cocktails, music, and art raffles complete the event.

If you can’t make the auction, or don’t live in New York but still want to show support, jump over to supportket.com and bid online.

The Walls Belong to Us: A Benefit for Alan Ket’s Legal Defense
Music by DJ Soul
Powerhouse Arena, 37 Main St, Brooklyn
August 1, 6 p.m., $30

Various The Bang Gang Deejays Present Light SoundDanceModular
It’s about time Sydney’s Bang Gang Deejays (not to be confused with the Icelandic band of the same name) had a proper international release. This two-disc mix shreds through a laundry list (70 tracks!) of dance-punk and electro-house from just about every hyped artist of the last two years (which is actually a good thing).

Magik MarkersBossEcstatic Peace
Mixing bluesy distortion, skeletal folk ballads, and noisy, punk experimentation, this duo’s second LP is a serious affair. That’s not to say it isn’t a fun listen; Boss’ dark sincerity is exhilarating.

Telephone Jim JesusAnywhere Out of the EverythingAnticon.
Anticon. has been dropping some inspiring LPs recently. Odd Nosdam’s latest sounded like the best nightmare we’ve ever had, and this new release from TJJ is slowly creeping up to the same status. Anyone can chop up some samples, but not everyone can do it like this.

Gang Gang DanceRAWWARThe Social Registry
Gang Gang Dance tends to divide us here at XLR8R (experimental genius or navel-gazing trash?). Either way, some of us were pretty stoked to get an advance copy of this three-track EP, and the release doesn’t disappoint. It’s droney, it’s tribal, it’s even a bit scary. We just wish it were longer than 20 minutes.

VariousSitar Beat Vol. 1–Indian Style Heavy FunkGuerrilla
Sometimes you get so sick of listening to crap indie-rock promos and sloppy electro-house DJ mixes you need some really leftfield jams to get you through the day. This week, salvation arrived looking like James Brown in a sari. Every idea we had of funk has been completely obliterated.

PicastroWhore LuckPolyvinyl
Picastro is one of the few remaining Polyvinyl outfits with enough balls to produce bummer music (not emo, just really melancholic). The band’s sophomore album, Whore Luck, will give some bipolar goth kids a brush of comfort and Of Montreal fans something to frown about.

EnonGrass Geysers…Carbon Clouds Touch and Go
Enon is taking another turn down psych-rock lane. After listening to Grass Geysers, however, it seems like Enon may be the Queens of the Stone Age super fan club. It’s strange that one trio can make so much noise while still holding an entirely pop-friendly torch.

VariousCocoon Compilation GCocoon
Cocoon’s seventh comp in its alphabetical series contains the deepest, darkest techno the label has ever touched. With Stephan Bodzin, Audion, and Phil Kieran panning their way through dance music’s heathen winter, black metal may have to step up its game.

Health S/T Lovepump United
Health is the new face of electro-punk. The band has already released a split 7” with Crystal Castles, has a gang of remixes on the way (Drop the Lime, Pink Skull, etc.), and its debut full-length is totally righteous. Like all the GSL-associated bands of the’90s, Health pulls together spastic, jangling guitars, bleepy synths, and just enough experimental wanking to creep out your parents.

Giovanni MarksBlack Adam B.E.A.R./Hip-Hop Core
L.A. underground mogul and B.E.A.R. records’ captain-crunch himself, Giovanni Marks (a.k.a. Subtitle), has done it again–this time in the form of Black Adam. This 20-track collection of unconventional rap bangers is a mixtape, yet plays like a developed album. Oh yes, and it is available for free download at www.la2thebay.com.

Cut & Paste Digital Design Tournament is an annual chance for designers to compete and converse about the creative process, and the multi-city tournament is once again accepting entries for this year’s contest. Eight designers will go head-to-head, while projectors stream their live designs across the venue, and be judged by an elected panel and an internet audience. Themes are provided in advance, and participants will have 15 minutes to craft their masterpieces from scratch.

Don’t sweat it if you don’t live near the event hub in New York City. Cut & Paste is functioning on a global scale, from Portland to San Francisco, Berlin to Tokyo.

Entries must be submitted online by Tuesday, July 17. Get to it.

Tournament Dates
09/08 Boston
09/15 New York
09/21 Portland
09/29 San Francisco
10/06 Chicago
10/13 Los Angeles
10/20 London
10/27 Berlin
11/03 Tokyo
11/10 Hong Kong
11/17 Sydney 

Christ. has arrived, with another venture into dance music’s subconscious. Not unlike newcomers 120 Days, the Kraut-messiah lets his psychedelic inner-child loose on “Cordate.” With gentle, ambient resonance and pop melodies, he may be the producer who saves your soul.

Download this song as an MP3, or preview a week’s worth of tracks at the XLR8R Podcast. Subscribe using iTunes, or with an RSS reader of your choice.