Linkin Park, and in particular their resident emcee Mike Shinoda, have always expressed a keen interest in hip hop and have oft pledged their devotion to the old school ways of doing it. Now, Mr. Shinoda himself has unveiled hip-hop side project, Fort Minor.

In the past, Shinoda has had a brief fling with hip-hop outfit The X-ecutioners and Linkin Park have teamed up with Jay-Z for the mash-up album "Collision Course", so Fort Minor was only a natural progression.

Debut album, "The Rising Tide", was co-produced by Jay-Z and features collaborations with the cream of contemporary hip-hop, including Common, John Legend, Kenna, Black Thought, Linkin Park's Joe Hahn and new Machine Shop artists Styles of Beyond and Holly Brook. It will also provide Shinoda with some time to shine - he wrote every track and plays practically every instrument under the Fort Minor name.

"The Fort Minor record is all about getting back to basics in hip-hop, both sonically and for me personally," says Shinoda. "And working with Jay-Z again has been phenomenal. We can't wait for people to hear the final product."

"The Rising Tide" will released on the 22nd of November, with first single - double A-side "Petrified/Remember The Name" - available for download on October 4th.

*bumps*

yeah i know its old but check out Fort Minors "We Major" mixtape remixed by Green Lantern

http://www.fortminor.co.uk/mixtape/download.php

FM