text:
Sean Born track is cool:
I think thats my favorite one off his latest.
Uptown XO album out at the end of this month. Mello Music Group makes good boom baps._TheBeautifulOnes_ and backtotheballs this'd this
Complex 50 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013
Naturally, at least half of these are completely speculative, but it's a quiet time of year
Raekwon EP out in a few days...
Of the ones that at least have a title, I'm particularly looking forward to Danny Brown, Action Bronson/Harry Fraud, Schoolboy Q, Earl Sweatshirt, The-Dream & Gunplay.
Looking forward to the new Roots record too, and the Ghostface record with Adrian Younge.
Yah got Gunplay ^^
Missed Ciara on the list. Hoping for some big tracks on that one.
x3 Gunplay
I'm actually really excited for the Earl Sweatshirt record too. I loved Chum and everything he's rapped on since getting back from Samoa has been pretty cool. With the right production choices, Doris could be great.
Only skimmed the Complex list, but records I'm looking forward to that I don't remember seeing on it are the MadGibbs record (surely coming in 2013 right?) and eXquire.
x4 Gunplay
I'd kinda assumed he'd not be doing much this year since he got locked up then I remembered he's American and they release albums/mixtapes all the time.
Finally given up on The Game.
Yep, 7 years after everyone else.
I stuck around until RED album, but I really hated that. Heard the new one was kinda-maybe decent, but still couldn't be bothered to give it the time. Did you listen? Is it bad?
In other news, the A$AP Rocky album is boring.
Well it's not bad...not by his standards.
In fact, I might even say it's probably his most consistent record. Put it this way - there's no tracks I had to turn off in disgust for a change and a few would sit proud on any mainstream rap record. It's just not fun and that's his main appeal for me. The RED album got a pass for about 3 or 4 silly songs but Jesus Piece has nothing to smile about.
I can't see anything worthwhile on A$AP's album
aside from the 3 singles, can't believe it got such a high score a P4K. Well, I kind of can, but still surprised
I'll still give ASAP a listen
but yeah I can imagain it being a bit limp. Mixtape is still really listenable tho if not also a bit boring. NO idea how he gets that ballance so right haha.
new AZ
'Doe or Die 2' coming soon apparently.
He sounds like he hasn't aged a day, could be a sleeper hit.
His last couple of records have been duds
but he can still spit, and hopefully the DoD2 concept will keep him focused.
this came out last November, but I'll post it anyway because Action Bronson is really good on it.
Haha, not heard this. Big lolz over Asian Bronson.
Asian :'-)
Well, I like it anyway...
yeah, me too.
Just a funny video that's all.
not really understanding this whole Azealia Banks/Angel Haze beef
but some decent tracks are coming out from it
Azealia barely lands a punch
but still wins just for jumping on that Machinedrum beat.
Penny finally put out a third album, and it's free too.
If you've not heard her this is really worth a listen, and if you can find her debut Clockforth Movement that's really worth it too.
- JaguarPirate and pichaelmarker this'd this
What was the whole Alex Locastro thing?
Was it just a joke?
I don't know - what WAS the whole Alex Locastro thing?
she wrote on facebook that she's only using the name 'Alex Locastro' now
and will be dropping 'Kitty Pryde' in the near future.
Seems to have been a joke, but I've heard mixed reports.
Really excited about d.a.i.s.y. rage.
She's no Princess Superstar.
Seriously, though, still irritating as shit. Slightly less so when they turn her vocals completely down in the mix like they do here I guess, good production choice...suedehead and anal_schwarzenegger this'd this
this is dogshit
what the fuck
Some fresh Keyboard Kid beats
^Some lovely stuff on here.
Been keep an eye-out for 2013 raps too but nothing has really blown me away yet.
Tree feat. The City
New Tree mixtape of all new beats working with Chicago emcees. Not too dissimilar from Sunday School in style, but obviously he raps on it less. He's still there on most of the songs though which is good, as part of the appeal with Tree is his vocal delivery and how it gets all wrapped in the beat. I'm digging it.
cheers, i loved that All track by Tree, will check this. Hilarious how he rinsed Kanye in the video too if you've not seen it.
everyone rank the verses on 1Train
Big K.R.I.T (extraordinary)>Joey Bada$$>Yelawolf>Action Bronson> Kendrick>Danny Brown>A$AP
really getting into Joey Bada$$ at the moment
Here's what I got
Big K.R.I.T. Danny Brown > Action Bronson > Yelawolf > Kendrick > Joey Bada$$ > A$AP Rocky
A bunch of the verses in the middle are interchangable though. Only Danny Brown and Big K.R.I.T I think are actually good on it too.
My ASAP Rocky review went up today http://drownedinsound.com/releases/17418/reviews/4145910
Yeah I saw it, I agree with some aspects
I was reading it alongside the Pitchfork one + whilst I get your point that he hasn't anything much to say, I agree with them that it doesn't really matter because he's going for the bigtime anyway, and he'll certainly be better than most 'mainstream' rappers in the state he's in now.
But you're much more of an expert than me :-)
Problem for me is his personality
I'm more than just a pretty boy: I'm an artist. I'm not saying I'm a hip-hop music artist, I'm an artiste.JaguarPirate and dave9cakes this'd this
argh, quote marks screwed it up
but yeah, I'd be fine if he did an album of PMW, Goldie and Fuckin Problems, but then you read things like this http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/9034-aap-rocky/
I like Danny Brown's verse
But he's done the same thing better elsewhere.
Action Bronson was complaining on Twitter a while back
that his verse was moved back in a way that meant he was rapping on the beat rather than off the beat. Or something like that. Would be interesting to hear how it was supposed to sound.
Yelawolf is the worst on that song. Not a fan.
ah, that's interesting
I did feel there was something a bit wrong about Action's verse and couldn't put my finger on what it was.
I really like Yelawolf on it. He raps like I imagine a wolf actually would, all yelps and howls.
Anyone got any podcasts/mixes to recommend?
I quite like the fader one but it doesnt come out often enough
Don't know of any good ones, I have been keen to find one for a while too
Having said that, Jeff Weiss has a new podcast which is probably decent at the very least. Haven't had a chance to listen to it yet so I can't vouch for it, but he's a good writer so it's definitely worth a look.
Just reminded me that song is dull tbh
and no matter many Dre guest spots that Big Boi jumps on, it won't make it an Outkast reunion :(
Anyone been checking the Jeremiah Jae songs that he's been putting out under Black Jungle Squad?
He's been leaking free songs daily for a week or so, and has now put them all together on this 15-song release. Really like the vibe of this. Mostly it's just raw, smoky hip hop with your typical JJ weirdness. For anyone not familiar with Jeremiah, fans of Madlib, Oh No, Alchemist's more psych beats should dig. That description doesn't really do him justice, but yeah, this is tight.
Thrashers is such a tune
This is better than anything he's released 'properly'
featuring joey badass and CJ fly
I really like this beat, nice old school low key vibe:
Love the low end on this. Super chill.
New Raekwon EP is here - 'Lost Jewelry'
The mediafire link seems to be broken, by the way.
Uptown XO FLowers
- Kyle_ and _TheBeautifulOnes_ this'd this
Anticipating his album.
That last tape he did was a fav of mine last year.
Heard a few cuts, some good stuff for sure
Will jump on board with this LP.
Hopefully it has some of the best stuff so far
+ some new heat.
fresh new UK hip-hop
loving this new track from UK vet Ty, that beeeaaaaaaatt:
*are back... Must get some sleep.
For anyone interested in Deltron it's still available here
...for how long I don't know.
Sounds just like Deltron used to sound.
Not sure I like it.
Sounds more like a lost cut than a fresh single, but I still dig it. On the other hand, it does pretty much rule out them covering any fresh ground on this album.
Just Blaze & Baauer trap out U Don't Know:
This is fun, and well OTT.
FACT point out how similar it is to this TNGHT remix of Kanye though...
Seems a bit *too* similar really.
Haha it's so epic
Yeah, there's definitely similarities in the two, but it's probably cos trap is a very limited art form rather than any intent. Plus I'd much rather hear 'I WILL NOT LOSE EVER... FUCKER' than Ye chat about his shoes.
Did you hear that house track Blaze did? Bit plastic for me.
Yeah I definitely prefer the Jay one.
Not a fan of the grinding Daft Punk-style bass in that house track, made it sound really cheesy. Along with the cheesy pianos that is.
i guess the hip hop equivalent of guetta/calvin harris working with r&b arists
but for, y'know, 'serious' clubs
I'm *almost* bored of trap now
It's gonna be so played out by the end of the year. As Badman unintentionally points out with the similarities between those Baauer & TNGHT jams, it's not really got anywhere to go.
The real talents like Hudmo and Rustie will keep it switched up though, I'm sure.
I think it's easy to get bored of the idea of 'trap'
in regard to the big-name shit like G.O.O.D. Music, TNGHT, Baauer and that, the stuff that's getting mainstream attention and being played in clubs where hip-hop would never generally be played, cos that stuff is meant to just be OTT club shit. But the style as a whole is still hugely enjoyable and has a lot to give in a lot of ways I reckon - you just have to look at producers like Mike Will and Young Chop, and of course people like Lex Luger (sure he's not as relevant now as he was a couple of years ago) but I still fucking love it when it's used as actual hip-hop beats.
Also it's a style that works so well in grime at the moment - couple of examples:
Wiley - Step 10 (prod. Dullah Beats) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bebznl1HeWU
Merky ACE - Eff Tizzy (prod. by Faze Miyake) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADx2fZoPwKg
what does everyone think of the new TNGHT track?
I don't mind it- it's just OTT EDM.
Fat Joe & Chi Ali - Games & Things
Pretty average track and slightly awkward video, but with the added intrigue of Chi Ali fresh out of prison.. remember him? Native Tongues collaborator, dropped an album when he was 14 and pops up on early De La and Black Sheep stuff. Got sent to prison in 2001 for manslaughter for shooting someone. Drops the slightly questionable line "you know who shot ya and it ain't big poppa".
lest we forget:
Voice still sounds good,
video was very strange indeed.
---lemonade was a popular drink and it still is---
has to be one of the best wtf lines in rap history, right?
You wish that you could come into my neighbourhood --
- meaning my mental state, still, I'm 5'8"..
Love the brief moments when Guru gets surreal.
Guru was a weird rapper sometimes.
His flaws are what made him great imo.
N0z and Kyle seeing eye to eye on A$ap:
--From a pop perspective, his hooks are laughably simple, never infectious, and often DOA, and he tends to structure his verses in ways seemingly designed to kill momentum, most obviously when he drops into a played-out, Screwed-down vocal range at inopportune moments, and for entire verses.
He's equally deficient as a more traditional rap lyricist: His vocabulary is limited, his concepts thin, his persona over-reliant on empty rags-to-riches-to-bitches clichés. He struggles to form even small fragments of coherent narrative without falling back on poorly constructed religious imagery or an almost Game-like tendency to incessantly name-drop — "It's the gold teeth, French braids / Call me Project Pat," "Painting vivid pictures / Call me Basquiat, Picasso," etc. There's no personal narrative or identity here to compensate for the hollowness of his craft. In real life, he's a naturally charismatic human — a warm and affable "pretty motherfucker" when the camera is rolling — but none of that translates on record. By LONG.LIVE's end, we know everything that Rocky likes, but no idea what he's like.--
hammer dont hurt em!
Really liked both reviews, very on point. I listened to the record, had a hard time getting through it all the way.
Very enjoyable review
Think he has a very articulate hold on the ASAP Rocky phenomenon. I personally am really enjoying LongLiveASAP, pretty much just as dumb swag-rap with some decent production, and I enjoy when he gets into decent flow. Agree with the fundamental lack of depth, and without getting too deep into issues of authenticity, he's always seemed a bit like a charismatic guy playing the part of buzz rapper rather than the genuine artiste he proclaims himself, or a genuine from-the-streets rags to riches rap hustler (isn't this what SpaceGhostPurrp used as ammunition when they had a spat? That Rocky came from an afflent family with lawyer brothers and used to be a Calvin Klein model or something? It's interesting that the review mentions the buzz of Purple Swag and Peso but no-one mentions this earlier vid, in which his fancy-dress rap seems a little more transparent:
Anyway, still enjoying the album a lot.. think a lot of the critiques of him have been enjoying and don't make me enjoy the music less. He'll doubtlessly run out of steam fairly quickly if he can't find a bit more personal depth to put on future stuff so I'll still be following him for a while.
Good points.
I dont hate the album, it has its moments. I agree all the reviews haven't swayed my personal listening experience much. Authenticity is always a hard topic w rap. I mean Rick Ross and Kanye shook it. The package just seems too forced with this guy, like an east coast Game basically, without the knack for memorable hooks.
Not even sure if its his inauthenticity with his background
as much as its the way he came up in the rap game? Like w Kanye he has the back story of having to grind and improve and push himself to get noticed by Jay as a rapper/personality.
I guess that's one of the key things the internet
progresses.. once you're a couple of viral music video successes away from getting a foot firmly in the door the story becomes a lot shallower, there's no aging vets to gain approval from or seasoned gatekeepers.. Just bloggers, youtube numbers and quick success. Feel a similar way about Joey Badass, it's astounding how quickly he's gone from music-as-hobby and dropping mixtapes during school breaks to a permanent rap fixture, and can't say it feels like the best way for an artist so young to gain success and naturally develop his craft..
Even though I feel like hip-hop is on a high at the moment, it risks beginning to mirror the '00s indie scene in which buzz bands quickly peaked and then dived into obvscurity. Hard to call which recently ascended rapper could maintain a steady level of output and success like Jay-Z or navigate a stranger album cycle like Kanye and still maintain widespread interest.
Guys like 2 Chainz are def a good counterpoint.
He's been doing it for years. Curren$y too. Some of the guys on the MMG label, Meek, Wale built it from the ground up, regionally. I think the cream will rise and the good stuff will stick while more and more of these buzz rappers rise and fall alongside.
Kinda cool that old dogs like E 40
are getting more national buzz so late in their career.
Agree, and just to tie this discussion together nicely..
This clip gives me goosebumps, when he brings Too $hort out followed by E-40, hearing those beats kick in and the crowd reactions... also E-40's mind-baffling conversational 'potato salad ass type niggas' slang!
Yeah he has own dictionary
ha, love this! I just love e40 on so mane levels. Been married to the same girl for a long time. I think thats kinda cool.
Looks like so much fun
I missed this by a couple weeks, I was home around then :/
Noz piece is good, especially;
''It's not a coincidence that Rocky has been particularly well received in electronic music circles, where semi-anonymous purveyors of highly stylized aesthetics flourish. And maybe that specific crossover is pertinent when considering how to listen to A$AP Rocky. When consumed passively, as ambient music, his conceptual flaws recede into the fuzz of his production, a raw mush of sound that provides an appropriate and occasionally great backdrop for refreshing your Tumblr dashboard''
^This nicely sums up how I feel about the recent repopularisation of rap that's been going on in the last few years. This idea of people listening to rap passively is something I strongly agree with - a lot rap fans atm don't seem to care about what they're listening to as long as it sounds good or has a certain functionality. Don't get me wrong, I'm okay with rap being popular and reaching different kinds of people, but it saddens me if it does so through a voice like A$AP's which has none of the qualities that made me fall in love with rap personally.
When I was thinking about the ASAP record I was trying hard not to emphasize the point that he needs to have 'something to say'. Even though it's difficult not to bemoan how little ASAP has to say, if he just dropped a goofy punchline or something it would help me take to him better.
There's def the urge to yell out
THERE'S SO MUCH BETTER STUFF OUT THERE but that's a bad route to take, does no good for anyone. It just makes me sound like an old crusty rap head (I am obv). Good job resisting the 'he has nothing to say' angle, it doesn't really mean anything, like when people say YAH BUT WHERE ARE THE SONGS AT?
It's true, I liked the mixtape because you can just zone out to it and sink into the vibe without really listening to exactly what he's saying
his voice and cadence fits well with the beats, just another instrument.
However when I started caring about what he was saying and how he was saying it, it all went downhill...
- navajo and JaguarPirate this'd this
also, whilst we're being rap-critical
can we draw attention to quite how gloriously bad this is, that didn't quite make it onto the full album release...
feel like Waka Flocka and Gucci hit such a low here that the pendulum swings back to 'great' again
Even when Waka sucks, he still raps with enough energy to make it enjoyable on some level. That's a pretty bad Gucci verse though yah. I kinda like this overall though, better than a lot of the album cuts. The hook though :( A$ap sucks at hooks, so flat.
Thanks to Shipment
for pointing me to the right thread.
Just listened to Young Fathers - Tape One, and thought it was really good. I especially enjoyed Rumbling and Romance.
You have some youtube links?
Never heard of this group.
It appeared on Spotify this week
but after a Google search, it is the mixtape from 11 that is being reissued. You're right!
Plus learned that they are Scottish, bonus.
wale ft. jerry seinfeld
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=D3gcgWO3b6o 'the album about nothing'
we'll see how this turns out.
although at least this could pave the way for a 'comedians in cars getting coffee' spin off featuring rappers, which would be a lot more entertaining
I know everyone (critics) hates Wale
and all but I still think he makes some enjoyable music.
definitely enjoyable, and he's certainly not over.
some good ones on the last tape. i love the right one and cool off.
g.o.o.d. news
still no release date for cruel winter, although rumoured to be coming out 'the first quarter'.
i'm pretty curious to hear wrath of caine by pusha t, i hope it's out this month, but it sounds like it's been put back until just before the album drops. anyway, there's a trailer, and that's it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gP7kPj7S-c
tracks to feature are blocka (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfR00nu5xQw - travi$ scott album out soon) and millions (http://soundcloud.com/defjam/pusha-t-millions-featuring ), unlike pain, which is gonna be on the album instead.
new cudi and big sean albums within the next two months, too.
hudmo has been signed, it's official.
i'd do a mmg one but i'm sure nobody even wants to read this one.
- anal_schwarzenegger and coolerthantv this'd this
I almost feel annoyed about HudMo signing to G.O.O.D., dunno
I love TNGHT for what it is, and it's cool if it gets him more exposure, but I worry it's gonna take him away from all of his best stuff - all the stuff that's more rooted in more 'old-school' hip-hop like Fuse (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkWmB9NIg4U) and Rising 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os82RSWJjWE), and all the just full on more crazy shit like No One Could Ever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igu1XkEeUn) and Thank You (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgdoPtMAobU).
I mean, I'm cool with him progressing and changing his sound, I just hope he doesn't lose sight of his more skilful stuff rather than big dumb hip hop shit.
Gunplay - Cops & Robbers
This is some of the worst mastering I've ever heard.
Guy just needs to put an album out, he kills every major track he features on then releases these freestyle recycled-beat mixtapes with a few good tracks that you can barely hear anyway.Kyle_ and theShipment this'd this
Yeah, it sounds pretty horrible
Hopefully his album, 'Medellin', should be out by summer though (even allowing for inevitable delays)
just a quick thing to keep him going this I think
while he was on house arrest. Still has a load of energy and is pretty fun tho. Dunno if we ever need an album from the hip-hop scene at the mo by the time someone that has a good style about them drops one its usualy not as good as their mixtapes. You really dont have to buy hip-hop ever I love it.
Its not necessarily the album that I need from him, just something that's more fully cooked. Even on his best mixtapes he will have a few tracks where he'll just rewind a verse and play it again or have a couple crap sounding freestyles thrown in. I am fine with that though if it means not having to soften/change his sound up to fit in the pop-rap landscape, though. Not that he would suck at that, but he's just so good at what he does now.
King Louie
Beat is mad on this one, like some kinda minimal 808 snapping spaced out dancehall/rap combo.
Didn't realise he had another mixtape out too: http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/19784/king-louie-drilluminati.html
think a few of these have been on his other tapes tbh
still madness tho
Val Venis
Val Venis is top ten track from 2012.
King Louie is so far above his drill scene competition imo.
He's above pretty much anyone for me
I don't really have a clue about scenes in hip-hop at the moment tho, no idea who else is in the drill scene, Chief Keef? He's alright at times in a sloppy kinda spaced out way but yeah miles off King Louie.
Oh yeah Lil Durk can be alright too
Think I hear Lil Reese but I can't remember, no idea about Sasha tho, lol at those names...
Ones I've heard their seem like kids just play about for the most part and sometimes hitting on something. King Louie is this fully formed thing with a distinct style that he just nails.
Keef has a fully formed style as well, I just don't like it that much.
Liking this new Droop-E cut
I really rate Droop-E is a producer actually, his stuff always interests me. The low-end on this is so nice. This is E-40s son for anyone who didn't already know.
Tom Lea's managed to get Ryan Hemsworth for Maybach next Friday!
Just TRY and keep me away from this.
Preem couldn't hook up Joey with anything better than this?
New YG mixtape is great
Pretty much entirely produced by DJ Mustard. Some samples;
The Purist (feat. Danny Brown)- Jealousy
Great Biggie sample here. And Danny Brown brings it as usual (have a strong suspicion that 2013 is gonna be his year.) This producer is from the UK apparently, so we can start filling our Rolling Hip-Hop Thread homegrown player quota.
Interview with Danny on Pitchfork today
Pretty interesting read, it got me psyched to hear his new album. I like the sound of whatever direction he's going in.
The Lonely Island feat. Adam Levine & Kendrick Lamar - YOLO
Keep playing this song
off the most recent Tree mixtape I posted upthread. Fairly simple beat by his standards but it sounds great
St 2 Lettaz freebie EP from last year was really good.
Kinda forgot to talk about it after posting it. But 'Trill To the Bone' just got a video and reminded me how tough the song is:
This is a new one from him 'Trillmatic' which I think will be on his album due in about a month:
<3 the beat switch up
Blockbeataz beats are still very juicy to me.
Didn't realise ST 2 Lettaz had an album on the way so soon. I liked this EP and always thought G-Side had a lot to offer...still think it's a shame they split really.
New Squadda B freebie (for now)
Havent listened yet but I know theres a ton of fans on here:
Glad the Lil B / Joey Badass beef came and went
very quickly.. pretty weak all round.
B's almost certainly just getting people talking before he drops Pink Flame
Agree though, the Joe Budden beef was way more entertaining
MC Eiht - Keep It Hood EP
Is awesome jjjjjjeeeeeea
Im like falling in love with old rappers all over again. So glad these guys are getting a second wind in their careers. If you like it then pleaaaase go back and listen to early Comptons Most Wanted and early Eiht solo albums.
Its on Spotify and so far this year has been the only release that I am excited about. DJ Premier did some scratching on it but I hear theres two versions out there, one with and one without the scratching.
Meek Mill's got a new thing out
It's just what I want from Meek, punchy and aggressive and fresh-feeling.
I think that was a bonus track from Dreams and Nightmares.
Album is good though.
Yeah, hadn't listened to him properly before
just heard him guesting. It's really tight.
Give Dreamchasers a download
Free and better than his new album.
I actually really like Dreams and Nightmares
I know it's flawed and mad corny in places, but I found myself listening to it a lot at the tailend of last year. I'm sure it won't stand-up that well over time, but there's plenty of songs I'll be going back to on it.
But yeah, Dreamchasers is probably Meek's best. Still rooting for him to produce a great full length at some point.
Free EP from $amhill
He was on that P-Brothers album a while back. Worth a listen.
Rap for the 30+ set.
I like.
I think i kinda prefer this sound
to this sound
What other releases have you been into lately?
I was thinking you would like that Clear Soul Forces release from last year.
Yeah, this is very good. Cheers! Downloading now.
To be honest, I don't really stay that abreast of what's going on in hip hop outside of threads like this, and lurking on message boards like Philaflava.com.
I still trawl for stuff I missed from the 90s, like all the stuff Chopped Herring are putting out, and I'm a sucker for albums like Roc Marciano and KA. I recently checked out a guy called Has-Lo who has a similar style, and I'm still listening to that Jest One guy from Atoms Family's 'lost' album.
I *do* enjoy guys like French Montana, Chinx Drugz, Troy Ave, and even Gunplay now I 'get' him, but I struggle with the fact that the amount of mixtapes dropping is overwhelming and vary in quality SO much – a few bangers amongst a load of throwaway dross.
Also, I'm pretty happy with 5-6 great hip hop albums a year. That pretty much suits me fine.
The mixtape thing can be very daunting.
I went all in a couple years back and am having fun with it. It's ike opening a christmas stalking everyday, you never know what will turn up. Could be a crap pack of gum or a new gameboy.
Has-lo is pretty cool. I like all the guys in the Mello Muzic group to varying degrees.
Need to check that Chopped Herring stuff.
Gunplay is crazy sneaky lyrical if you really dissect his stuff, not like wordy lyrical though. He has the power to command any track on top. I had the same reaction to DMX in the 90s but by the third time I heard Get At Me Dog I was totally hooked.
Anyone heard that new Alexander Spit LP?
It's pretty interesting, the track featuring Action Bronson is a highlight.
Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2auk9d7RhmyAoEpOG4kkJi
DL'd but hadn't listened fully yet.
Heard a couple tracks and liked.
Couple of quiet afternoons at work, and inspired by theShipment and Kyle_, i've been getting my ass in gear and trawling the world of mixtapes.
So far, i'm quite liking The Underachievers tape - Indigoism. I think they're affiliated with Flatbush Zombies, but they're much better.
And I know it's from 2012, but this 100s Ice Cold Perm tape is sick! Where did this guy come from?! Kind of 90s west coast, No Limit throwback. Like a west side Joey Bada$$.
100s is top five for me last year, easily.
The production is really impressive, maybe the best sounding tape from 2012? I think so anyway. All produced by Joe Wax and Ive been trying to hunt down anything by him ever since.
Still making my mind up on The Underachievers thing
Some really nice songs/beats on it, but when I try listening to it all in one go I find it's blurring into one a bit. Been listening at work though so maybe I'm just not concentrating on it enough.
That 100s tape is excellent.
Anyone heard that new Curren$y mixtape yet?
Had some pretty big production credits for a tape, Harry Fraud and Lex Luger were involved. I've only heard the song with Juvenile, which I really liked. Can't access YouTube atm so will post a link up later.
I'm still not bored of Curren$y. His tapes always seem to have some direction behind them (I'm looking at you Gunplay) and even if all the tracks aren't killer I can just zone out to the beats. His voice just blends in with them sometimes, but he tends to keep you interested with his hooks.
Yeah so i've listened to this now.
It's alright, I guess. Could have been better. The production is the highlight- as with most of Curren$y's stuff- and that's not a slant on him as a rapper, he just tends to fade into the background like another instrument or something. It's a skill. Here's that track with Juvenile, which I still think is the stand-out:
Bitch Get Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOPY2sA3HkI
New Waka Flocka
Been enjoying this the last couple of days. Definitely one of Waka's better tapes. His energy still amazes me.
this is great
Triple F-Life was such a disappointment, good to see he's still got it.
few days old now, but brianna perry's got a new one out with pusha t and it's alright really - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K92Iz8FtjBM
after a string of AMAZING singles last year, (unfortunately my posting of them in last years thread are now deleted, I'M SURE MY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE SORELY MISSED) i'm looking forward to the follow-up to symphony no 9.
new lola monroe with los is hot fire. gonna put exclamation marks near this one !!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM35Zuj5j1U !!!!!!!!
yet to get my teeth into the new sasha go hard. i haven't been reading any sites so it might already be a big deal (features kreayshawn, diplo and le1f). track she did with rockie fresh recently is really SUMTHIN (lol) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a--uD_OaGPg
tiffany foxx's new single is to feature kim (no surprises there) and MILEY CYRUS(!)
also, excellent trolling as always from tbo in this thread.
Brianna Perry is great.
Marilyn Monroe is still in constant rotation for me.
Lola song is murktastic. Is King Los the same as Fabolous?
I didnt like the Sasha release at all really, some really embarrassing stuff on there imo.
Timeless Truth "Brugal & Presidentes"
Quite enjoying this tape.
Check out 'Leave It Alone'. Beat by Roc Marciano. I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff - two guys from Queens, decked out in vintage 'Lo, rapping over mid 90's sounding beats.
I liked a couple tracks off of this.
including Leave it Alone. One of the emcees is super generic but the other one has some presence.
Drake - Started From The Bottom
On first listen it just sounds like one long (pretty weak) chorus. Hopefully won't make the album and can just be forgotten about, although it'll probably be ubiquitous in clubs.
Also, wtf is up with that little skit in the middle.
Not a Drake fan
but this is particularly bad isn't it? I mean, "started from the bottom"...really Drake? Even outside of that though, this doesn't seem to actually go anywhere at all.
Kevin Gates
Can't stop listening to his new tape, The Luca Brasi Story. He's kinda got a Future thing going on, in that he's very good at straddling street raps with auto-tune balladry. I keep hearing more and more to love in this...maybe my favourite full project of 2013.
Chasing Paper http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGcOVxpzio0
Weight http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSKBh9irvDg
Arms of a Stranger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0-pVonatKQ
One of the best things Ive heard this year yeah.
Last year too with both his releases.
i'm really loving this
having a hard time really getting my heart into a rapper with such a boring name but the mixtape is undeniable.
Only just got around to hearing this
Really solid. My favourites you didn't mention already.
Hold Ya Head: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SON1OfIR6HM
Produced by grime/butterz UK producer S-X.
Twilight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUxo0GT9jOk
The instro is just a beauty, nails that dazed bright trancy thing.
Whats Understood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBRYni_ZDb4
Killer slowed down vibe to this one might be my fave overall.
Go backwards now with this guy
I think his two releases from last year are even better.
shall do
never heard of him before, kinda refreshing he's called Kevin instead of Young Gooch Lil Spare Cups or something.
I like a mix haha
I want something better than Young Thug or Young Scooter or Lil Durk and I'm all for batshit stuff like Lil Ugly Mane or Spaceghostpurrp but yeah if you're over like 16 stop calling ya self Young or Lil and just embrace your inner Kevin you goofball.
good is good
but def go by your real name if all you can think of is lil or young or big or yeezy or whatever.
Can't stop bumping this song.
Chance the Rapper- Juice
Like the Kevin Gates stuff Kyle posted above, this has definitely got a Future feel to it. He's got a kind of demented half-singing half-rapping flow, and switches tempo all the time. I defy you not to hit repeat as soon as it finishes.
Mmm, I've been playing Juice a lot too
Chance's 'Ten Days' tape from last year was alright, but kinda patchy. Hoping he can come with something more consistent on his next release.
I like this song Tree produced for him http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNp2xZhoMAY
Also, speaking of Tree, he leaked the first song from Sunday School 2 this week as well https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/tree-get-it1
What the hell is this I don't even...
Wayne should just stop making music.
Shoulda stopped about 5 years ago tbf
I'm saddened by how bad he is at the moment
one of his verses on the new Gucci tape is hideous even by his recent standards.
Seriously though, I could give less of a fuck about this
Will.I.Am is genuinely one of the least talented human beings on the planet, he just churns out generic electro-house nonsense and because he has an atrocious haircut and some production credits people/idiots take him seriously. Weezy is quite clearly a lost cause these days - the only thing about this that gets me is that I'm sorely disappointed in Waka.Luis_Carruthers and theShipment this'd this
THis may be the single worst piece of music Ive heard
in like 5 years time. even the video! yuckJaguarPirate and badmanreturns this'd this
I saw Guilty Simpson last night and I'm pretty sure I hear the worst line ever
"Miss Mary, you got a hold on me, and it's scary"
He was good otherwise too. Apollo brown makes some generic post dilla beats.
So weird how much love AB gets in the underground circuit.
lol Guilty. still like him though
Yeah he was good, apart from that clunker
He can be a bit earnest but I like him.
issue - aura
oh hey guys. i produced this tape w/ ISSUE from the bay area. it's kinda weird but i thought some of you guys might appreciate it - http://aoao.bandcamp.com/album/aura
These beats are pretty out there!
Weird, I kinda like it.
thank you dude! weird is definitely the word. people tell me it's a 'grower'
Tyler news
Friendzone fans
My new column features a mix from them + an interview. They talk a little about new Main Attrakionz stuff and how they were asked to produce beats for good kid, m.A.A.d City.
- _TheBeautifulOnes_, navajo, and coolerthantv this'd this
Great column man.
That mix is good, some real eclectic stuff on there, and I enjoyed the interview. Looking forward to 808s and Dark Grapes III, think most of my favourite Attrakionz songs are Friendzone produced, so to see them produce a whole album is exciing.
Good job.Silkyskillz11 this'd this
Thanks all
Got high hopes for 808s and Dark Grapes III. I've been thinking for a while that Main Attrakionz would really benefit from working with one producer over a full project, and I'm glad they're doing it with Friendzone.
Wish I'd written about the Waka tape now, but there's always one that slips through.
I'm still obsessed with Kendrick and Danny Brown
Anything new I will like?
Jackie Onassis
Duo from Sydney who put out a free demo EP in Nov. Zane and Rob Da Bank played a bit.
Crystal Balling is the jam!
Free EP from
Le1f - Fly Zone
I finally gave this a listen. That kid is magical.
The return of the Ghostface Killllaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh
And I like it. A lot.FWBTS this'd this
Oh this is that Adrian Younge colabo thing!
Sounds pretty standard fair GK to me, will reserve judgement for the full length.
Yeah, I like this song
It feels like a while since the last consistently strong Wu release, although I'm probably forgetting something. That Rza soundtrack was cool.
Actually, I was listening to that Czarface release this morning (Inspectah Deck w/ 7L and Esoteric) which is sounding pretty great. Great to seem them working with a bunch of guys from the New York new school.
Here's one with Roc Marci http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0hwo7Cc6Q8subjective this'd this
7L & Eso!
Ha, hadn't thought of those guys in a long time. This song is nice, wu banger status.
Deck really gets after it at the beginning of his verse.
One of my favourite tracks he's ever done
From the lyrics to the production, everything is just right as far as I'm concerned.
Cadence Weapon - Hype Man
Interesting retrospect on the hip hop hype man
Corpsy is a badman writer.
I think he still does bits for Wire magazine, I dunno I've only ever bought one copy. but yeah I love this spaced out stuff at the moment, like Future and all that.
Yeah, can NOT get enough of this stuff at the moment.
Like seriously, it's all I want to listen too. Future, Rocko, Kevin Gates, Chance, 2 years ago I never thought I'd be in a position where I'd consider any track with autotune good, let alone artistically relevant, but fuck me, has this new trend of rap changed my mind. Will.i.Am and '808's and Heartbreak' have a hell of a lot to answer for huh? (disclaimer: tongue firmly in cheek there.)
If you had to label it, which of course we do because this is a music forum, then 'Future rap' fits it best, and not just because Future is the flag-bearer. I just struggle to think of words to describe it sometimes. All the tracks sound different yet intrinsically the same.
Love that this stuff can exist at the same (damn) time (and in King Louie and co's case, the same (damn) city) as Tree's soulful sample-based stuff. Then you've got Brainfeeder trippy experimental stuff, Main Attrakions smoke hazed beats, Kendrick's brand of west-coast lyricism. Hip-hop is just fucking incredible at the moment.
kinda fits in somewhere with that spaced out auto tuned stuff from Lil Wayne and T-Pain in their peak and someone like Gucci Mane whos got a mad psychedelic dral and a lot of his beats are pretty simular too. They've all got that drugged out dark raw meloncholic vibe to them. Plus they keep it catchy which is prob the only thing keeping them away from going deep down that rabbit hole like what Main Attrakionz sound like.
Yeah everyone keeps forgetting about T-Pain
Thr33 Ringz was far superior to 808s & Heartbreak (and came out about 2 weeks before...)
808s & Heartbreak
might be my favourite Kanye album.
deal with my controversial opinions.
mine too
its easily his most consistent and easy to get thru, the rest of them seem chucked together like compilations to me.
I don't have a favourite Kanye album.
That is not a compliment.
Deal with my controversial opinions.
Haha, do you actually hate Kanye then?
I can kinda understand that position, but there comes a point where a guy has been involved with so much stuff that you really like that you have to be like - okay maybe I do like this guy.
That's how it happened for me at least. I spent years rating Kanye's productions but being really adamant that he should stay away from the mic. At some stage over the past few years that position has really slipped, and even though I don't rate him as a rapper, I definitely feel he has a place as a rapper as well as a producer now.
Having said all that - it's annoying to me that he's not taking full production control over his records anymore. That's his biggest asset, I want him to obsess over that and quit getting beats from elsewhere.
Another new Chance the Rapper song here
Jake One on the beat http://potholesinmyblog.com/chance-the-rapper-acid-rain-p-jake-one/
Quite a strong Kendrick vibe on this one.
Excited for this!
Will have a listen later.
Its a bit...
White Stripes of hip-hop for me.
Its the kinda dude a fella from XL would find, then when he's on his death bed he'd get a post-dubstep guy to make beats for before he croacks it and gets them to make a remix album, which would sound even worse but get twice the reviews and we'd all cry.
he's good on...
Gone Tomorow & Project Dreams
for a verse or so mind.
Your comparisons are so far off sometimes.
I understand the sentiment though. Thing is, while being gimmicky overall, there's just so much charm to it to reel me in for a while. He really has a way with melody, I love the way he phrases his hooks and slides in and out of rapping/singing/laughing. I think he is pretty sharp lyrically as well. The excitement may wear off quickly and maybe he only ever releases a handful of classic tracks, idk, I'm fine with that. I'm glad to have this little gem with Get My Paypa and All I Know all in one place though.
I was being overly twatish for the sake of beign a twat
but yeah this kind of thing sounds so boring, cliche and try hard to me its unreal. Its sounds so much like he's trying to be ernest, real and soulful that it grates on me rather than engaging with me. Its like a session recorded for Dermot O'Leary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxLGJcu51OI on accoustic guitars ot make it more real. Its just me and my hands on a table dude, its real. I was off with the White Stripes comment tho, he's way more Alicia Keys mixed with Bright Eyes.
Like I said, this guy toes that line so tight that I can easily see plenty of people falling on either side of the fence. I like it for now but think the honeymoon phase may not last too long. Interested to see what he does with studio production. Like I said, he has a strong knack for melody and we'll have to see if that translates.
Young L - Atari
This is so great. Keep thinking the beat is gonna go off into some horrible anthemic chrous but it just holds it together and sounds great throughout. Produced by some Danish drummer I've never heard of.
Love Young L so much
Kinda wish he wasn't such an average rapper something though ha.
100s London show next month
Players Ball is an excellent night anyway, so this is a must.
Some raps I've been digging
Young Jeezy ft. 2 Chainz - RIP
^^Jeezy on a DJ Mustard beat. Sounds good.
Young Dro - FDB
^^Dro continues his good run after his Burn One mixtape. Hoping he keeps this up this year.
Tekh Togo - The North feat. Boldy James and Big Jo
^^Think I heard something about a new Boldy James tape this year which I hope his true. This song is super simple, but I'm a sucker for those kinda strings.
Iamsu! - Mobbin
^^Su has a bunch of projects going on right now as usual, but this is a new video for Mobbin off last year's $usy 6 $peed tape. Pretty standard fare for him, but I just rate this guy really highly.
Mondre M.A.N. - Where She At
^^There's some great stuff on the new Mondre and Squadda tapes, but this might be the pick of the bunch. Dyan from Friendzone made the beat and he nails it.
Also, this new posse cut from SAVEMONEY
Really promising stuff. Outside of the whole Drill/Keef/Young Chop thing, Chicago is pretty exciting to me at the moment
I really like Jeezy over Mustard!
Jeezy should join forces with someone like that, get some slaps going, he needs a refresh.
Have you heard his album yet?
I think there are way better songs than World Premier on it.
yeah it's dope
Canarsie High is my fav
- Mehodor this'd this
Rocko, Future, Rick Ross - UOENO
so obviously this goes hard and everything, but the Rick Ross rape line is a bit much. obviously a date rape joke is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the sort of behaviour that anyone raps about, but there's something a bit close to the bone about it. like, it doesn't really fit with his image or whatever. it's a bit odd. song is great regardless.
That's a jarring line for sure.
Obv not as egregious as 'Drug Dat Hoe' but still disappointing.
This beat is cool, kinda playful but still comes off as melancholic somehow.
Gucci Mane & Young Scooter - Free Bricks 2
Yeah, really impressed with Free Bricks 2
Atlanta/Brick Squad is pretty crazy at the moment. Gucci, Future, Young Scooter, Waka, Young Thug and OJ Da Juiceman all coming out with interesting tapes in the last few weeks/months.
the beats are getting really nice and strung out
really spaced and syrupy but they still kick really hard, its the shit. Gucci sounds more on form now than the last few years too.
Is that King Louie on a beat that samples Gotye?
Yep, and it still sounds alright.
Danny Brown - #HottestMC (Prod. by Harry Fraud)
Danny sounding pretty rugged here.
not a fan of that beat
but he does sound good as always.
Doesn't really go anywhere
Sort of track that I can't imagine coming back to on its own, might work better on the album.
hopefuly it gets no where close to an album
nowt that boring on XXX.
Nothing special.
For him whatever success (success=me liking it haha) he has on his next project will boil down to his production choices.
pretty much true for any rapper tbh. The rapping itself is only like one third of the music for me in hip-hop.
but Danny is soooooo hyped at this point that he really has to choose wisely. I guess all I mean is that the stakes are higher for him now. Cant just go grab hot producers and have them crank out something safe.
I heard that Darq E Freaker has a track on the album from a Butterz show on Rinse which he guested on, I don't think its Blueberry or whatever they called the track when they stuck vocals on it either which he already released with Danny Brown. So that one at least will prob bang if it does happen. Harry Fraud is a good choice he can be ace, but yeah that beat sucks.
Harry has some very boring beats recently.
Still a good producer but his hit/miss rate is dropping imo
I'm not that well versed in him
I only ever notice him when the little sound signature comes in so only really remember odd bits, just remember him being good form time to time.
Darq E Freaker mix is here if you wanna hear it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To396_U1C3s&list=PLKGmq5cV94xIvjtODjVXbTR1Kx2jHTy0R&feature=player_detailpage#t=3657s it was sick.
I dont wanna poopoo Harry too much.
He's responsible for some of my fav stuff from the last couple years sooo... I'm just being hypercritical.
Ill check this mix
Yeah, I'm not sure how he should play it really. I'm mainly into Danny for his writing though, and while I liked a lot of the Skywlkr stuff on 'XXX' I don't think I would have loved it if those exact beats were given to another rapper. I definitely agree that he should be careful with his production choices because I want 'Old' to be as good as it can be, but for me, he's a rapper I would go back to regardless of what's behind him. I'm almost definitely in the minority with this, but I'd prefer it if he went more minimal...so the rustie links aren't massively exciting to me. I reckon he'd stand-out great over simple beats, like the one on Earl Sweatshirt's 'Chum', for example.
I dont even think that a cohesive sound is the way
to go for him. Just scrap the Kendrick Lamar 'try and make a classic album in the classic album vein' approach and just go bananas over a bunch of different types of sounds/beats.
Rustie, really?
wouldn't mind hearing that. I mean Danny Brown would sound insane over say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swnVlDtThfk or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOD37EH9430 maybe not on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4AqCrR_nAU tho haha.
Danny Drown does seem to sound better than most US MC on UK beats like he showed with the Darq E Freaker track so who knows it might slay.
Joker & Rustie where insane at one point
pitty they didn't really take that thick funk into their albums. Joker kinda went a bit clunky and Rustie went into sugar rushing trance, I still like that album mind.
Joker should be making beats like these for MCs by now.
Snake Eater
Gully Brook Lane
Purple City
Psychedelic Runway
Stuck In The System
But his got this clunky dubstep pop thing going on for the most part now.
Yeah I kinda got into Joker a few years back
cos I thought he was gonna break into the US hip-hop/r&b scene but it never came to pass. Some of these are familiar to me. I like Glass Swords too, but for other reasons I guess.
Yeah I dunno what happend
Gemmy was making that sound too and kinda went really quiet. Guido was always slow getting stuff out and is still making this kind of thing but its way more mellow. Plus I think he's doign a live band thing with his sound next so who knows how that will go.
Yeah, agreed he'd sound great over some of the older Rustie
but maybe less so on the Glass Swords-ish beats. This is rumoured to be a clip, but obviously no way of confirming that http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zk6p840ge-k
Yeah agreed
Was just going on the 'OLD Coming Soon' bit under the track.
Can't imagine this being on the album
just because it's a reaction to the MTV Hottest MCs list everybody has been moaning about.
I really dig this as a throwaway though, Danny is sounding sharp. "Rhymes so real thought I wrote it in Janis Joplin's vomit / With the mic GG Allin wiped his ass with"
Drake - 5am In Toronto
This is more like it. Still, wouldn't be surprised if it's just an offcut.
Bishop Nehru - Nehruvia
For fans of Joey Badass I reckon. Classic feel, young guy rapping over some pretty good originals, as well as a few classic Dilla/Doom/Premier beats.
Waka Flocka -- Real Recognize Real
The beat by Lex Luger on this is so damn nice. Real quality winding sino-grime meets waka thing going on with it. Its real light, bright and breezey but with a real tuff kick and Waka adds a load of raw energy to it. Gonna have to grab the mixtape now.
That Waka tape is great for sure.
Have you heard either of the new OJ Da Juiceman tapes Jimi? Reckon you might dig them;
I'll give them a go cheers.
Similar to some of the stuff you've been posting about in here
Zaytoven produced a bunch of songs so it's got that weird, spaced-out trap vibe. OJ is a bit mad though, his voice is just really odd and his lyrics can go off in weird directions too.
Grown Folk x Main Attrakionz - I.C.E.
Kudeo has done some remixes of them on that release too, they aint as good as I'd hoped they would be though. Maybe they'll grow on me I really like the Jam City Main Attrakionz hookup now.
Killah Priest - The Psychic World of Walter Reed
Epic double album, 41 tracks. Obviously impossible to listen to in one sitting, but there's some great stuff here.
Mix of cosmic/new-agey beats, and more classic production (RZA, GZA, others). Guest features from Ghostface, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck and George Clinton.
Listened to the first ten tracks or so and was kinda blown away!
Excited to get through the rest. He is so ridiculous, so over the top, love it.
I heard this was good.
He's let me down so many times that it makes me very skeptical, but I'll give er a go.
Heard a few songs from this that were good
Was wondering whether to bother checking out the whole thing but this just about persuaded me. Will delve into it this week.
Rome Fortune - Beautiful Pimp
Young Thug
This ones an accuired taste I woudl have thought haha.
He's got a batshit catawaling screaching, auto tune sing rap thing going on. Its pretty extream and could be annoying if you aint in the mood but hell when you're with it his got an intensity to his stuff that you dont see in other auto tune sing rap guys like Future. Its that high picthed just hanging on intense cracked on edge spaced out vibe that some how has this robotic emotion to it.
He's like a childish version of Future.
but when it works its really fun.
yeah thats it
its all over the place too. Kinda got that adolesent emo thing going on, it sounds so cracked and hopless but still with tons of energy and partying bravardo. Its odd.
adolescent emo thing haha perfect. Some of his stuff is really embarrassing.
come from nothing 2 was really good, way more good than bad.
he almost sounds bi-polar or something in his sound
like one moment he's the life of the party the next he's rocking in the corner crying into thru autotune. Its pretty brilliant like that.
Been trying to work out if this is the best thing, or the worst thing
Took me a while to settle into it, but I really like it now.
I really hope this single kills off Azealia Banks for good
What is this sub-Prodigy shit? If you're gonna be a wanker on Twitter to absolutely everyone you meet (see the current Rita Ora shite going on) you should probably deliver at least a couple of half decent tracks.
she'll never die
Even Uffe is still gigging around the world and bloghouse electroclash was well over a decade ago. Banks will ride that wave into late 2077 we just wont hear about it anymore after her thrid album and everyone but The Guardian are talking about it.
Maybe if the magazines which are 'so tired' off the Azealia beef
stopped writing about it, she might actually stop. Fuel to the fire and all that. I just have zero interest in this girl or her music.
I dunno, my Azealia filter has been set to ignore for so long now - does she actually have any good songs? Baring in mind I hate '212'.
Shes prob beign payed by PR people for twitter to get hits and promo for artists
Shes like a pro wrestler heel shitting on all the babyfaces to get them over. haha
No, she doesn't.
People (idiots) just go mad about her because good producers (also idiots I guess) give her tracks to ruin.
They prob do that for promo too
I mean she did a vocal for that Bauuer track that everyone is on about again, she prob got it off Diplo whos lable its on. But Bauuer called it for copyright so she had to take it down and then kicked off. So you get more promo for it. You get the bonus of getting her to do a vocal, then the bonus of kicking her off the track cos it'll sound shit anyway, you get the bonus of her kicking off cos she got kicked off it haha. Perfect.
Who is this Casnio dude?
He's all over the Future tape on a lot of the really godo tracks and he's got a wicked energy. Anyone know of any tapes or owt worth checking?
Me either
Datpiff isn't helpful either. There are some people with Casino in their names and all that but none of the tapes look releated or ligit, which is often the case with even the big names on there a lot of the time haha.
The guy has some wicked energy and a real presense so hopefuly he turns up somewhere else at some point.
Hip-hop goons elsewhere found he's got a tape on the way...
so we'll have to see how it goes huh.
This is live now
got it on the DL, youtubes of some of the tracks sounds alright like. A few might just be off the Future mixtape mind.
The Patriarch by Deniro Farrar
Prob worth a look, the Deniro Farrar tape from last yeah with Shady Blaze was really damn good. This track, damn.Kyle_ and badmanreturns this'd this
GREAT cover yeah
DL'd this last night. Gonna spin it now.
Not sure its as good as the mixtape with Squadda B last year but...
It's solid and he's got tracks that aint even on it that sound good still...
New Earl Sweatshirt
Bit closer to an early Odd Future sound this time, albeit more polished. I like it, I just love listening to him stringing words together.
this is brilliant
if he like... worked with people other than the OF gang...
it would be out of this world
The indication is that he's working with more outside sources though. I think he's been doing some stuff with FlyLo/Samiyam and there's going to be a Neptunes beat on his album too. there's a live video floating around of him performing three new songs (including the Neptunes one), and while I usually hate those kinda videos, I listened to it for some reason and it all sounded great.
Here's that, if anyone is interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HSDcNF9SxTA
Fun video.
Kinda basic beat and Tyler still has no clue how to make a memorable hook... but still a good track, Earl is good.
The St 2 Lettaz album is out, bought it last night.
The G... The Growth & Development
Has some solid production, very full bass. None of it is on youtube except trillmatic i dont think.
Need to give this another listen
Wasn't really concentrating the first time around, but it sounded like the production took some unexpected turns.
New Ghostface songs
Further to the one posted upthread, a couple more songs from the new Ghostface record have leaked recently.
Quite looking forward to this record now. I think Ghost will really benefit from working with one producer, and also the fact that there are no guests on it should hopefully mean it's more of a focussed project. These new songs would definitely suggest that as well. I like all three of these but the "The Sure Shot (Parts 1 and 2)" is great - I'm a sucker for 2 part rap songs.
loved both of these new tracks
gonna have to get the album I think, I love the live instrumentation- pretty rough and ready, in the best way
Anyone fancy weighing in on Iggy Azalea?
I think this is a pretty great song
With the likes Azealia Banks around I think it's kinda common for female rappers to try and 'go hard' without much consideration for what they're saying (basically trying to out-macho each other, which is nothing new I guess but still a shame), but this track is kinda the opposite of that (I mean the COMPLETE opposite is Kitty Pryde but no one wants to hear about her despite daisy r.a.g.e. proving she is a seriously talented 'rapper'), despite having a proper mainstream hook. That video though, [redacted for fear of being called sexist].
Not to say there aren't other 'more considered' female rappers out there at the moment
Mostly just in terms of mainstream/major label push.
I don't think people's reservations about Kitty Pryde
are related to whether she can actually rap or not
Pretty fun.
I like Murda Bizness better.
Haven't really liked anything else she's done.
This is cool.
And that video....... woah.....
chorus doesn't leave much of an impression
but the verses are strong, and the "no money, no family" hook is pretty damn catchy
The-Dream tries his hand at rapping...
I mean, it's not terrible, but the pitch-shifted vocals just don't work.
Let's just pretend this never happened
and keep on deluding ourselves that the new album is gonna be great when it finally appears.
that free album he did kinda grew on me
what was it called 1977 or something? Wasn't on par with the first two albums of course but yeah it was alright like Love King was.
I dont even think its even close to as good as LK.
Wedding Crasher is the only song that I liked iirc.
Yeah I hated it all at first
but it kept popping up on my ipod on shuffle and I ended up liking it on the whole. Can't remember any of the names of tracks or owt like but its better than it got credit for I think, just.
Yeah Wedding Crasher and Long Gone were the only tunes I rated on that.
Th beat for Long Gone is really cool with the guitars and I love the chorus.
And Love King was a big step down from the first two records.
I think I even remember saying something similar on here when a really bad track appeared as a trailer for Love King, can't remember what the tune was though.
Def a big step down but a worthy addition to the catalog.
Yamaha through Abyss, though, damn. And the bonus track edition helps.
Was it FILA? that song is as dream-by-numbers you can get.
Its on that Drilluminati mixtape
Just got a vid tho. Awsome tape, easy one of the best of recent times.
Drilluminati is real good.
Kind of a toss up as to what was his best release from last year.
Danny Brown- Kush Coma
This one is definitely on OLD. he leaked it himself, the crazy bastard. Sounds insane. I don't even know what that beat is, but I like it.
- Kyle_ and JaguarPirate this'd this
thats more like it, last one I heard was arse.
you use to hear that in even dubstep clubs at one point mkixed with old Rustie, Terror Danjah and Joker tracks.
this is odd: https://soundcloud.com/xdannyxbrownx/zeelooperz-hit-a-lick good but odd.
Ha, I heard that come on after letting the Danny Brown song
play through. Kinda odd future light.
Damn indeed
Danny Brown is dope.
fuck yeah
he's playing near me soon and for $75 you can do a meet and greet w/ picture, surely that's worth it to get a photograph of me holding up a Heineken with danny brown. frame that shit and pass it down to my kids.
$75?? What a joker.
New Lil Wayne is better than I thought it would be
Need to give it some more time, but he sounds better than his recent guest verses have been suggesting and there are some great couplets on there. Also, Gunplay's verse on 'Beat the Shit' is >>>
haha yeah it's a mess
There is some pretty horrible stuff on the record, but also some great stuff. I guess I'd rather Wayne is falling into those two camps rather than down the middle.
does anyone have a Spotify playlist with their picks from the thread?
Doubt it.
MIght be good to do have Kyle do a mid-year rundown though.
ScHoolboy Q - Yay Yay
Oxymoron is probably my most anticipated record this year.navajo, theShipment, coolerthantv, orangejuice, and JaguarPirate this'd this
The Doppelgangaz
I'm really liking these guys, although I think they might be a bit too throwback for a lot of you guys. Kind of like Dalek, but less abrasive. Good headphone music for work.
I liked the Lone Sharks album alright from a couple years back.
They're kinda like a (little bit) grittier version of People Under the Stairs or something.
Rest In Peace R.J - Shady Blaze
Real tear jerker from Shady Blaze damn.
The tracklist for Wolf by Tyler, the Creator
has definitely increased my interest in hearing it.. I thought I was about done with OF except for probably the Earl Sweatshirt album, but fucking hell, Erykah Badu, Laetitia Sadler and Pharrell, as well as two Frank Ocean spots and one from Earl. So I probably will invariably be giving this a spin:
01 "Wolf"
02 "Jamba" [ft. Hodgy Beats]
03 "Cowboy"
04 "Awkward"
05 "Domo23"
06 "Answer"
07 "Slater" [ft. Frank Ocean]
08 "48"
09 "Colossus"
10 "PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer" [ft. Laetitia Sadier, Frank Ocean]
11 "IFHY" [ft. Pharrell]
12 "Pigs"
13 "Parking Lot" [ft. Casey Veggies, Mike G]
14 "Rusty" [ft. Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt]
15 "Trashwang" [ft. Na'kel, Jasper, Lucas, L-Boy, Taco, Left Brain, Lee Spielman]
16 "Treehome95" [ft. Coco O, Erykah Badu]
17 "Tamale"
18 "Lone"
It's leaked apparently
suedehead is giving me a running commentary via Whatsapp at the moment, seems to like it. Sample quote:
"Oh shit Rusty is actually really good."
Definite improvement over Goblin in pretty much every way.
Solid 7.5/10 I'm thinking. Will obviously only appeal to a certain demographic now, and some weak moments for sure (Pigs). But overall a pleasant surprise.
is Trashwang
anything like Limp Bizkit?
But I'm really pleased, genuinely gone from being fairly amibavelnt to quietly stoked in the space of a few days.
That's the obligatory faux-trap one
Don't remember much about apart from a Lil B/Bitch Mob shout out. Wasn't a highlight.
couldn't finish it
feels even more one note than usual
My score may have been a bit generous
Was just refreshed to hear that it wasn't utter shit
Chance The Rapper- Good Ass Intro
Another track from Chance, he's going to blow up soon isn't he? Cool video too.
This track's got a bit of a Kanye College Dropout feel to it. He's one of those rappers where you can hear all of his influences but he mimics them so well and with such personality that it's still entertaining.
His album, 'Acid Rap', drops April 30th- looking forward to it. Pretty funny that this and Tree etc. can come from the same city as Chief Keef, King Louie etc. In the same year. Hip Hop is cool like that.
A promo video for the album here too, with a couple of track snippets on it. Dude seems pretty funny:
Sounds like he's been working with BJ the Chicago Kid too,
as well as Tree.
Getting hyped for this album/tape.
really like this guy
great heads up
I'm pretty addicted at the minute.
The guy just has a crazy flow, switches it up all the time. Cool beats too.
Juice (posted up there^ somewhere)
Acid Rain (think this is up there^ too)
Brain Cells (off of #10Day, his mixtape, think there is a link in the description of the video below)
Yeah, this and Tree are the next two I'm really looking out for. Definitely two very distinctive guys, who are interesting to me for different reasons.
If you go on Tree's Twitter he uploaded about 5 or 6 of his old pre-Sunday School records the other day. Not had a chance to go through them at all yet, but I'm looking forward to hearing his early stuff. Interviewed him the other day and he said he's been making rap for like 13 years - which probably explains how unique his production is.
Great read about Organized Noize / Earthtone III / Outkast / Dungeon Family production
Dre Nick and Richie Rich - Break Bread
I'm a sucker for old rappers over minimal slaps.
ITT(and every other hiphop thread)
forzaborza complaining about middle class white guys listening to hiphop. :)
gucci mane is back in jail
just as it was all going so well
You know what, I'm actually quite looking forward to this new KiD CuDi album
New single Girls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFFvOlX4lQk
Pretty dumb (especially Too $hort's verse) but he's just got a great tone and a knack for making kinda off-kilter pop stuff.
Blu - No York!
Don't buy much hip hop but getting this as it's bloody brilliant. Is this cloud rap? Don't know but it sounds like it should be. Experimental, psychedelic, dreamy and generally gorgeous.
Apparently this album has been around for years
but anyway, its good. And is getting a physical release.
Is it good enough to steer me away from Kendrick for a bit?
Poor lad needs a break.
I like the folklore around this album
gave it out for free in the crowd on the Rock the Bells tour, got dropped by Warner three weeks later, so the story goes. Any standout tracks?
Can't wait for this
Producer gave me a beat, said it's the beat of year / I said El-P didn't do it, so get the fuck outta here
Don't know how I put that in the wrong thread
but yeah, Killer Mike and EL-P record.
Wu Tang 20th Anniversary show at Brixton, 27th July
£45... seen them twice before... can't decide... argh.
Yeah, not sure I can be bothered with this
Seen them a bunch of times and they never really live up to their billing. More than likely it won't be the full line-up (even though tickets will be bought on that premise), and even if they do all show up the sound will be terrible because it always is. Last time I saw Wu-Tang at Brixton it was all low-end and I could hardly make out the piano on C.R.E.A.M. :(
I think I'd much rather see members of Wu-Tang individually these days - Gza's London show last year was one of my favourite performances of the year.
Wu-Tang at Brixton last time
is the most disappointing live music experience of my life. £45 a ticket, rubbish sound which subsequently leads to a fairly underwhelmed atmosphere inside, and a performance that veered into pisstake as it was announced my favourite member (Method Man) was absent because he was filming CSI, and the remaining 7 plus stragglers wandered on and off stage as they liked. Then an encore which was basically everyone fucking off save 3 who stayed onstage to talk about upcoming films and dressing gown ranges (?) in between songs. Bearing in mind that both songs and on stage dialogue was fairly inaudible, so I was actually putting in considerable energy to even discern that this was, in fact, what was happening.
It was great when they played Brooklyn Zoo and all stomped around the stage together but only because of that bassline and definitely not worth the ticket price.
Never need to see Wu again
caught them in the late 90s promoting the Forever album. odb included. Hungry and in their prime.
*humble brag*
I caught the Wu Tang in 1994, at the Island in Ilford. Only ODB turned up, and invited crowd members to get on stage and battle him. It was awful at the time, but funny in retrospect.
I have seen them numerous times since - solo members and the whole group - and it's always been average to terrible.
The only truly enjoyable show was GZA and Killah Priest at Mass in Brixton in around 2004/5. Just him standing behind the DJ stand and rapping. Really grimey.
Yeah Ive been to a few random shows since
and none of them were much cop. Wu in 94 w only ODB though! Thats a good story if nothing else.
as an optimistic aside - they did just rock up to Coachella with all members AND A FULL ORCHESTRA?
Ghostface / Adrian Younge album streaming:
I love the aesthetic / sonics of this record
When it was announced I expected it to be kinda half-baked (like that Wu Massacre record or most of anything else they've done recently), but they've really committed to this.
I need to give it some more time to see how much I really like it, but there's a lot to admire on the surface.
I think Ghost sounds a bit half arsed TBH
But overall, the album works. Have you heard the Apollo Brown remix version? Very eager to hear that.
Got the Apollo Brown version on order but it hasn't arrived yet
Will report back when I've given it a couple of spins.
It's still available here too, but as part of a deluxe vinyl package only (which will also get you severely burned by the US Postal Service!)
Really liking the original version though, been playing it all week. Normally much prefer sample based beats to anything 'live', but Adrian Younge's production is proper.
I hear what you're saying about Ghostface and he does seem to be holding back a bit, but I think this is because the album has a 'soundtrack' narrative and he has to stay within this rather than just rapping about whatever he likes. Think as a whole it works really well and Ghost does take off on a couple of tracks. Yeah, pleasantly surprised on the whole
I had no idea there was an Apollo Brown version actually
I'm kinda curious to see what he does with a concept like this, but beyond that I doubt it'll sit anywhere near as comfortably as the Adrian Younge production. I agree some of Ghost's stuff is a bit phoned-in and maybe it would have been better as an EP or like 8 songs - but from a purely sonic perspective I like it a lot.
I suppose it's a shame that Younge is so obviously the star of the show, but then again it's rare to hear a Wu project that feels so front-to-back polished so I'm savouring that aspect.
The little i've heard...
...has been very good.
This version is better than the original one, IMO.
The full Apollo Brown version is here
You're right, it is better than I imagined it being. Cool to see Apollo Brown doing something a little out of his comfort zone.
Big K.R.I.T. - How U Luv That Feat. Big SANT
Big SANT keeps killing these guest verses on K.R.I.T. songs, but doesn't seem to have done much in the way of releases himself. Either way, this is my early favorite from the new K.R.I.T tape.
Yeah good jam
Listened to the tape once, not sure I'll listen again. He needs to expand his sound.theonlyindiegolfer this'd this
Yeah, I know what you mean.
I'm not sure his sound is the problem for me though - that's probably the thing that'll always keep me coming back. I think the issue is that he's rehashing too many concepts, and there's only so many songs I can hear about kings and crowns and the return of forever. He also needs to be a little careful with the hippie sentiments, because that can get a little corny. Even so, I think there are some great songs on here - 'Banana Clip Theory', 'Bigger Picture', and 'Shine On' stand out particularly.
More than anything, I think he just needs to go away for a bit and collect himself. Then come back with a banger.
Don Cannon
Still knocks doetheShipment and Kyle_ this'd this
This beat
Jeremiah Jae has been a bit of an unsung hero for me this year. Two excellent projects from him.
This is the best thing:
this is so great
Keep meaning to listen to the Combat Jack Show more, but it can be difficult to find the time. To whoever asked about rap podcasts earlier in the thread, I've found a few good ones lately;
Some variance in the quality of discussion there, but all feature good music at least.
I listen to stay hatin on occasion, its good.
combat jack once in a while.
I'll check for those others.
I've been listening to Shots Fired since it was mentioned up there^
(thanks Kyle_)
Its really really good. Jeff Weiss has what seems like an encyclopedic knowledge and Nocando is hilarious. Its pretty freeform a lot of the time and they have good "chemistry" so I'm pretty happy to just listen to them telling anecdotes and talking shit about people. I'd imagine it appeals to the heads as much as it does to people like me who have listened to 'the classics' and want something new.
The underscore is on my birth certificate.
p.s glad you're liking!
For the old farts...
1) Great interview with Prime Minister Pete Nice.
2) Is anyone going to see Big Daddy Kane this week?
I saw Big Daddy Kane in Brighton last week
It was ALL KINDS OF GREAT
I found a vinyl copy of Long Live the Kane on the street the other day
It's obvously ALL KINDS OF GREAT
My latest column is online
Featuring a pretty great party rap mix from Southern Hospitality and a bunch of writing from me.
- yes_ this'd this
Clams Casino x DOOM - Bookfiend
Not sure I'll ever get tired of Clams' sound. This is nice.furio this'd this
Harry Fraud feat. Earl Sweatshirt & Riff Raff
Yacht Lash
Loving this... when that beat switches up when Riff Raff comes in, lose my shit every time. Really strong IMO.
Chance the Rapper tape dropped last night
Sounding pretty great on first listen.gecko this'd this
I like this guy
Mostly because of the video with Hannibal Buress, which is basically like a hip-hop version of The Rock Show video.
Haha, loved the Rock Show video at the time
Still do, actually.
In the Chance one they only really seem to buy pizza, 2 chains and a chicken suit. I'm thinking they pocketed most of the money.
excited for thistheShipment and yes_ this'd this
Boom Bap Festival - Peterborough (?!) - £70
Has anyone heard of ANY of these artists? I'm assuming they're mostly UK as I really dislike UK hip-hop and am therefore assuming that's why I don't recognise a single one of these names (okay other than Rodney P, Skinnyman and Mystro but a whole weekend's worth?!)
Also it's just really making me laugh that this is in Peterborough
Maybe it'll be full of MCs from the Nidge...
This looks like a convention for every UK rapper that's ever tried to sell me their mixtape outside a rap show.
I saw The Four Owls supporting Jeru the Damaja
It was.... alright.
oh AND
i saw phoenix da icefire supporting Big Daddy Kane. That was minutely better but the highlight was when the played a song they'd done with Action Bronson and let us hear Action Bronson's verse.
A friend of mine used to design covers for the label Braintax used to own, so few names there that I remember.
To be fair, the Cappo album has amazing production. I still check for anything the P Brothers do. Which is admittedly very little.
Quite a depressing scene nowadays, really.
That is a brave promoter right there
I genuinely hope they sell it out cos the idea that UK hip hop could have its own festival is amazing, but to be honest I'd be surprised if this even goes ahead.
Chester P, Skinnyman and especially Rodney P are all amazing and worth anybody's money. Would have to admit that Smellington Piff is new to me though
Chronik - Deepest Darkest
Put it in the grime thread but it pretty much belongs here too, produced by Main Attrakionz, etc beat fella Keyboard Kid 206 and all that.
Tree - Sunday School 2
This is out next week and I'm pretty hyped for it. These are the songs that have leaked so far;
No Faces Feat. Danny Brown: http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/15419-no-faces-ft-danny-brown/
Trynawin Feat. Roc Marciano: https://soundcloud.com/mctreeg/trynawin
Devotion (this one's probably my favorite): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QYdkJpZahM
Not often you hear an Elvis sample
Full tape drops tomorrow!
oh man
<3theShipment and Kyle_ this'd this
that's where i'm at
can't remember going OH SHIT at every beat like this since Tronic came out.
Geeking out over this on first listen
I was a little worried he was gonna make the production too clean but it's not overdone. He pretty much has my favorite voice of any rapper at the moment so listening to him sing all over it is a joy - seems like he's stepped it up with the lyrics on a couple of the more personal joints too.
yeah, i should probably rewind before i drop any more hyperbole
but it's met my expectations and then some. classy touch with the high quality MP3s too.
gonna listen to this tomorrow
this thread is the only reason i come on the music board these days, thanks guys
It's the album art!
Removed it once I dl'd it and the file size is normal now.
Doesnt help with the downloading time tho.
The art only takes up a couple of megs on mine. They're big files with high quality MP3s (like 340mb), but shouldn't be taking all day to DL.
I can't really work out why it's not downloading, especially on my work internet
Will try at home, probably some firewall issue or something.
He tweeted last night that he'll be uploading a smaller file version today some time
There's always the soundcloud stream in the meantime.
How about this huh?
Powerful stuff.
Here's an interview I did with Tree
It was pre-SS2 (actually back in March) so I couldn't ask him anything about that - he had some interesting stuff to say though. Nice guy too.
Good read, seems to be a cool cat.
Still loving SS2.
Really feeling the new GrandeMarshall tape Mugga Man.
Had a lot of love for his first one 800 and this is even better. Feels like he's quietly honing his craft and building up to a real talent. Mostly mellow laidback vibe but not hazy enough to be cloud rap. The beats are really interesting with some great intricate textures. Highly recommended.
Nice, 800 was good.
dl'ing now.
I like Grande Marshall
Mugga Man is kinda long to hold my interest all the way through considering how breezy the beats are, but the standouts are really great. The title track particularly, I've been jamming that a lot.
The Khing Kang King EP - IAO (old apparatus/ mowgli) has really grown on me
depending on where you work video maybe misconstrued as NSFW
<3 Old Appartus
Not sure about this though... the vocals are that kind of annoying stream-of-consciousness 'just saying a load of words' style and the video is fucking horrible.
Didn't really watch the vid to be honest...
I think the EP as a whole is a lot stronger than this track, the other 3 tracks are a bit more subtle for want of a better word.
New Wu Tang Single
Pay what you like until 31 May:
Fairly by the numbers but the beat's nice
I'm way excited
That's just a fucking left over track from the vault bro, not a new single.
Can't wait for the new album (Disclaimer: I'm pretty sold on 8 Diagrams. If the clan had come correct on the rapping that album would've been great). RZA seems to have a plan, I'm interested in what they come up with.
idk man, i just don't know
I guess excited may not be the word? Maybe its just that I am not expecting to be impressed is all. Of course I will listen but with low expectations. Kinda like when OB4CL2 came out and I was kinda blown away cos the bar was set so low in my head.
I do want it to be good.
New mixtape from Nocando
Probably of interest to anyone who also listens to that Shots Fired podcast or knows him from his battle rap days but its definitely worth a listen regardless. There's no denying he's pretty clever and there are a few great tracks on it, No Sweat in particular.
All Over A Bitch sounds like a lonely island song to me, can't get past it
And SECRETS where he's calling somebody out (can anyone work out who it is?) is just plain weird, but the rest is cool
I dont remember you being interested in hip-hop before
or at least I don't remember seeing your name pop up in many threads? Am I wrong or did you just start getting more into it?
Anyone in here at the Killer Mike show last night?
What a great guy he is
Completely forgot about it as I thought I was gonna be seeing him at Primavera
Loved his Birthdays show but XOYO would've been fun. Fingers crossed for a Run The Jewels show!
yep loved it
just as great as the Birthdays show. My first time in XOYO too, think its perfect for that type of gig.
Can't wait to see him and EL-P on the same stage, they have so much fun
Aye, I was there
He's so damn likeable - the bit he did about Thatcher was hilarious.
Standardly very excited for Run the Jewels.
New Ka
This is really good. I thought his collab album with Roc Marci was coming out soon, but it looks like there will be more solo stuff first.
Waka at XOYO in July...!
(Ignore the fact it says Iggy Azalea in the link)
Vic Mensa - Orange Soda
This guy really stood out on Chance's tape.
The other standout verse from that mixtape, for me at least, was Noname Gypsy's on 'Lost'. She has almost nothing online, but put out this video a week or so ago;
She's got a mixtape out soonish and I think her solo stuff could go either way, but she's so likeable that I really want it to be good.
"And I still get jealous of Vic, and Vic still get jealous of me"
reckon they could be on a plateu. definitely liking this.
Wu-Tang - Family Reunion
This is pretty, pretty good. METHOD MAN OVER THAT BEAT-SWITCH. ooh-wee. Be nice to hear without all of the radio tomfoolery over the top.
Sounds like it might still need some mixing even without the bombs... but I'm fairly confident it'll be nice.
Been getting into the new Tree mixtape
the beats aint usualy my kind of thing but he really brings somethign to it that a lot of others dont really for me. Enjoying it.
So awesome how his production is a mixed bag
of like 15 different styles that we all know but still sounds 100% unique. Southern snare patterns yeah ok, 808 bass mm hmmm, soul samples duh, high-pitched vocals check. But it's how he chops it all up and pulls things in and out that really makes it sound like something else.
yeah its wicked
when its to far on the sample soul side of things I just switch off now-a-days but he nails it with this one and keeps it nice and fresh somehow where others kind of lean one way or the other with productions. Sounds quality with all this sun we're having too. Helps that he has a pretty unique voice and presence too.
Agree, I do feel his biggest pull is def his voice.
So much character and depth. I seriously dont even care if/when/who he guests on his releases.
I broke like 50 bowls i'm a cereal bown killer
my love for chance the rapper is getting pretty deep
You seen the Acid Rap Live thing from Chicago Metro?
It's pretty great - he looks fun live. Got both the lively and more thoughtful side to his show.
yeah definitely
that's why i like him so much, how he carries the playful and the heartfelt sides of his style together so well
Shame the only chance we're gonna get to see him over here
is with fucking Macklemore.
I saw he was doing that. Surely he'll squeeze in a headline London show around the European tour though? Hope so anyway :(
yeah such a shame
surely he'd amass better hype by doing some small headline shows in big cities than by performing to half a large hall to warm the crowd up. But like kyle says, hopeful he'll squeeze some other stuff in.
going to the Pitchfork festival in Chicago
pretty sad he's not playing it, even though he's around for Lollapalooza like two weeks later :(
Anyone been listening to the new Gucci Mane
Trap House 3?
I know there's been like a million new Gucci tapes this year, but this one is particularly good; http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/22342/gucci-mane-trap-house-3.html
I like what Ive heard.
The one with 2 Chainz goes.
Yeah definitely
Love this beat too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ-wB_QVs54
Been into this Jay Ant mixtape 'Blue Money'
This beat has pounded it's way into my head, bounce bounce
Maybe it's my new headphones but I'm backing in deep on some hip-hop right now.
This doesn't look staged.Kyle_ and theShipment this'd this
That's amazing.
New Schoolboy Q is cool
Nice Kendrick feature on this too https://soundcloud.com/topdawgent/schoolboy-q-collard-greens/s-T4uQa
Love this.
Also new Gunplay tape is out
Also this massive noz list of like every song Wayne dropped between 95-01
https://new.myspace.com/discover/trending/2013/06/10/canon-ballin-the-lil-wayne-collection-vol-1-1995-2001 is awesome
Yeah, biggup Noz for doing that. I haven't had time to go through it yet, but the bits I skimmed were great. Also, there is now a part and part 3.
Part 2 (2002): https://new.myspace.com/discover/trending/2013/06/10/canon-ballin-the-lil-wayne-collection-vol-2-2002
Part 3 (2003)
I hope he got paid well.
yeah that's one of those pieces for the archive
that will get hits for years to come.
I've listened to less albums/tapes in 2013 than any year since I was 11
Need some inspiration...
Recommendation some good shit pls? Is it worth listening to the new Gunplay, or Gucci, or Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, or Deniro Farrar or err... anything? Is Chance's patchy effort really the best 2013 has to offer (excluding Tree ofc.)?
Links obviously welcomed, even if they're already posted here. Feel way out of touch.
Trap God 2 is really essential too, this is my favourite Gucci track this year:
But yeah both are ridiculously *solid* listens.
I would say the best album/tape so far this year is definitely Kevin Gates
I'd second Trap House 3 and Luca Brasi
two of my favourites, for sure.
There's a bunch of other decent things - Deniro Farrar's Patriarch is probably the best thing he's done. Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan made patchy, but crazy and sometimes inspired autotune records. Dj Mustard and Iamsu both made fun Bay Area style tapes this month. Need to give those eXquire and Prodigy/Alchemist albums some more time too.
Still feel like I'm waiting to be blown away by something though - Run the Jewels, AZ, Earl, Danny Brown, Ka all to some soon though. Freddie Gibbs tape next month too - can't wait for that.
Cheers man.
Yup, lots coming up for sure. That's what I've been telling everyone asking me for reccs. Schoolboy is sounding great too.
Been meaning to check out Mustard and Iamsu, so I'll have a look at those if you think they're worth a spin.
Production credits on Deniro look sharp as ever, and I liked the Hemsworth track, so that'll almost certainly be up my street. Guess I'm just getting frustrated waiting for a really big album to bump all summer.
Oh shit yeah
That Schoolboy Q album could be incredible. High hopes for that.
Very much enjoying the Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire album
And yeah, it sounds like a proper album. Not a mixtape. Great production, interesting guestspots, probably my favorite release by him. Nicely crafted.
http://www.audiomack.com/album/mr-muthafuckin-exquire/kismetrobellovich this'd this
Re: Jigga trailer
Does anyone else recognise the beat at 1:32 it from somewhere? Might just be going crazy idk.
*also the video is hilarious. Here to reinvent rap by getting The Black Album crew back together, spitting complete jibberish, and releasing it as a ringtone or something.
That Samsung shit is so lame
It'll leak anyway so I guess it doesn't matter, but in the video he's all "we're gonna let this album spread naturally among the people", the "internet is like the wild west". Such a fucking politician these days - can't see his album not being boring.littlebirds and badmanreturns this'd this
LOL @ Rick Rubin just lying there
Is that an in joke or something?
So this Migos tape is really fun
Soundtrack to the summer sorted
So good
The hooks are ridiculous - been in my head all week.
Been writing a bunch of Kanye stuff this weekend
Yeezus review and Chicago-themed column to come, but I picked out a bunch of my Kanye favorites here (10 albums tracks, 10 interview quotes, 10 beats for other people):
Great review mate.
I've read about 20 over the last few days and I can honestly say that this is the best one i've seen.
Kyle's review very good.
Here are a couple more that are good reads (I don't agree with everything in them):
Thanks guys,
worked pretty hard on that one so I'm glad people enjoyed.
Couldn't really give a flying one abotu Kanye but...
It was pretty wicked to hear King Louie on day time radio one this morning doing a guest verse on that new one by Kanye. Wasn't expecting that cos I aint been paying any attention to the Kanye stuff. King Louie is one of the best things about hip-hop for the last few years.
Yeah if anyone didnt know he released a song every day in march
called it march madness
Yeah I've not got thru them yet I dont think
I still play a load of his other tapes first for soem reason.
Is my current favourite. Cant go wrong with Motion Picture Soundtrack and the Man Up Band Up vol.1-2 either.
Dunno if you guys saw this?
Fake Shore Drive put together this Best Of mixtape: http://www.fakeshoredrive.com/2013/06/mixtape-king-louie-the-best-of-king-louie.html/
Loads of rarities and stuff I haven't heard on there.
Nope don't think I've seen that before
Nice one.
In other non-Kanye news...
Deniro Farrar's The Patriach II came out this week, it's sounding great so far - I think he has a real knack for brutally personal hip-hop, he doesn't really hold back on anything but his subject matter is often so dark that I can't imagine anyone ever comparing him to other 'emotional' stuff like Drake. I guess he's closer to Kevin Gates but without the kinda sing-song aspect. The production and his voice match his subject matter perfectly.
Also, really enjoying the 'new' Lord Quas - it's clearly a bit patchy as it's just a bunch of unreleased tracks so doesn't flow as well as the other two albums proper, but I'm just a sucker for the overall style, it just sounds so great. Very laid back this one.
#opinion time...
Have only really heard Yeezus in bits as people play it around the office. Can't muster any interest in it, it sounds like a mess to me and the sole fact that Kanye made it isn't enough for me to invest time on it as it seems to be for a lot of others.
Yeah, I've been enjoying this new Deniro
As I said upthread I think, Patriarch 1 was probably my favourite thing he's done yet. Early days, but this sounds just about as good.
Big Tookie is definitely one of my songs of the year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hyyT8yOppA
Madlib is working on a new 'new' (actually new) Lord Quas album too, but yeah this is great for now
As for Yeezus, the sole fact that Ye made it was enough for me to invest significant time in it, but I'm slowly coming around to the fact that it's his first solo LP I don't really like at all. To the 12 year old littlebirds who raced through the Blueprint liner notes to find out who produced Heart of the City... feels bad man.
Oh and Patriach II is dope too
Still need to go back and check the first one.
new Joey Badass track
Like it quite a lot - he's so laid back normally, sounding pretty angry on this one by contrast. Also the second song in the last few weeks to refer to bifocals along with Bronson's The Rockers
Is he biting DOOM on his own beat?
Good track, and one of the better DOOM beats I've heard in a while, but that seems a bit lazy.
Hemsworth remix of Migos' Bando
That Migos tape is pretty fun.
Run The Jewels (El-P & Killer Mike) - for nada!
The whole album is available for free from the record companies website.
Main Attrakionz - 808s & Darkgrapes III should be great
Produced entirely by friendzone. This beat is a beaut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CrVlyskPV6Ejimitheexploder, Kyle_, and sixteen_blue this'd this
that beat really gets euphoric out of nowhere
Fucking hell
That's beat of the year for me. No question.
At first I was like ehhh alright beat is nice n all but
beat of the year gtfo w that... then the last minute or so came in and built into this massively over the top emo track <3
This is ace
carries on that melodic stonery vibe they were hitting with Do It For The Bay
Ka back at it with a new album 'The Night's Gambit'Kyle_ and littlebirds this'd this
Love this new Ka album
This whole sound is exactly what I like at the moment. A 90s sounding album that wouldn't have been made in the 90s. Kind of... deconstructed.
Makes me want to listen to Scaramanga 'Seven Eyes, Seven Horns'.
Yeah, it's really good isn't it?
the beats are even more minimal than last time round, but they create interesting rhythms with the subtle percussion ticks. Ka himself is just ridiculously quotable, but his deadpan delivery means I'll be discovering new lines and wordplay from now until Christmas. Really impressive.
Rare 5 star review from fact
Shit just got trendy
New Kevin Gates album
Sounds really good. Between this and Ka I'm gonna be sorted for a while.
New Earl song too
Really hope Doris is as good as I hope it's going to be. Love this.Antelope and theShipment this'd this
Chance The Rapper at XOYO in August
Just heard about this! (Not sure if anyone else was aware, couldn't see anything about it on DiS)
Myself, Kyle_ and suedehead are going
Thank god he's playing a date that isn't supporting Macklemore.
Can't wait for this.
so glad i checked this thread today!
So are you guys on holiday or something?
Come on friends, I need more stuff to listen to.
Bit of a slow period I guess, same with every genre over the summer
Trap Lord tracklisting is here though:
Looking forward to this.
To be honest, I've kind of been listening to the Ka album solidly. I think it's probably my album of the year so far - so yeah, get that if you didn't yet.
As for new stuff, here are a few things...
Droop-E - Hungry and Humble
I wrote about this one here http://passionweiss.com/2013/07/26/humble-like-a-wolf-droop-es-hungry-humble-ep/
Jeremiah Jae - Bad Jokes
This just dropped so I haven't had a chance to give it a serious listen, but JJ has been on good form this year. His two other releases have gone a bit under the radar, but he just signed to Warp so I guess people will pay attention now.
Zaytoven - Birds of a Feather
Can't think of any producer who's had a better year than Zaytoven. This is a really good collection of songs for some bizarre film he appears to have made. Gucci, Scooter, Migos, 2 Chainz and all the usual ATL guys feature
Starlito - Cold Turkey
New Lito album has also gone annoyingly under the radar. It's great.
King Louie - Jeep Music
Another one I haven't had a chance to listen to yet, but it's bound to be worth a listen.
Prodigy - Gangster Love
Prodigy from Mobb Depp asked Twitter if anyone could do a UK garage remix of one of his songs. DJ Q stepped up. This is the bizarre results.
Been on vacation
and busy with life (3rd kid on the way) and my job duties are changing so my posting is pretty sporadic. Honestly been considering giving up dis. Here's where I stand so far this year as far as releases I will vouch for, in no order:
Ka - The Night's Gambit
Tree - Sunday School II
MC Eiht - Keep It Hood EP
NHT Boyz - YP vs Rizzy
Havoc - 13
Killah Priest - Psychic World of Walter Reed
Homeboy Sandman - Kool Herc: Fertile Crescent
Prodigy & Alchemist - Albert Einstein
Chance - Acid Rap
Daz & WC - West Coast Gangsta Shit
Uptown XO - Colour De Grey
King Louie - March Madness
Starlito - Cold Turkey
S.T. 2 Lettaz – The G… The Growth and Development
Kevin Gates - The Luca Brasi Story
Kevin Gates - Stranger Than Fiction
Jay Ant - Blue Money
Iam$u - Kilt 2
Billy Woods - Dour Candy
Rome Fortune - Beautiful Pimp
Killer Mike & El P - Run the Jewels
Bangledesh - Ponzi Scheme
$amhill - The Preface EP
Clipping - Midcity
Kool John - Peace, Love & Shmoplife
also the new Freddie Gibbs 'ESGN' album is in rotation but just got that so dont have too much of a formed opinion on it yet. Still have to listen to Mr Mufkn eXqr and that Migos mixtape everyone is on about. The Underachievers - Indigoism is good but maybe TOO indebted to the Black Hippy crew sound for me to really get over.
Congrats Shippers!
That's a hell of a list as well.yes_, littlebirds, Kyle_, Antpocalypsenow, and Dan_S this'd this
yeah thanks for finding the time (all of you)
this will give me enough to get through for a while
it's a boy
give up on DiS please !!!
Mike Eagle killed this. Too many quotables.
He's a very smart, likeable dude
Some people love his records, but I find him to be hit and miss – mainly down to the production choices. I always check for him though, and it usually uncovers some gems. That new EP is free on bandcamp so it's probably worth grabbing that.
His song 'Your backpack past' was kinda hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlT4nJOlmV4
This is alright/
Ill grab that ep, thanks.
Pete Rock & Camp Lo ft Ab Soul - Dont Ya Just Love It
got nothing but 'wtf' to say about Insane Clown Posse
but Danny Brown fucking slays this song
skip to 2.20
2014 Rolling Hip Hop Sub-Thread
New Andre 3000 album. Possibly.
I don't care how much the Love Below & Idlewild suggest an Andre album would be absolute dross, it'd just be great to have him making music again.
new Black Milk album - No Poison No Paradise coming October
Just this instagram teaser for now. Hyped anyway.
Also I missed this beat tape a couple of months ago
Some cool stuff on here on tide peeps over:
Visited some old stuff a few months back
and it didnt sound as good to me as it did at the time. Beats still sound crisp I just hope he has improved a little as a rapper. He seems so disjointed sometimes. He's the kinda guy that cant carry an album alone, has to have a ton of quality guest slots come in and kill it. I wonder if he'll reach out to any of the new Chicago guys.
First couple of albums get by on production alone
Especially Tronic. Really exceptional collection of beats. It's like listening to a Dilla album really. No one turned up for the rapping.Antpocalypsenow this'd this
Tronic is awesome with the beats indeed.
Matrix, GIve The Drummer Some, Hell Yeah, Reppin, Bounce etc
I've loved Black Milk in the past
but I'd agree that he needs to mix it up a bit this time. The full band thing on Album of the Year didn't work all that well in retrospect (although it was good live), so I hope he tightens up the sonics and steps up the raps a little too. Bringing in some non-detroit guys would definitely be a good way of stepping out of his comfort zone.
Having said all that, the Synth or Soul thing was pretty cool. Good to hear him playing around with different sounds again.
I don't think he needs to change it up too much.
Just get in some good rappers who can do his beats justice.lemonbrickcombo this'd this
has done a period piece sorta thing: Versus Dynamic Sounds
I love Height.
A couple of new things
Jonwayne - The Marion Morrison mixtape
Pretty insane collection of new raps / beats from the man Jonwayne. First rapper on Stones Throw I've been excited about in forever.
Spark Master Tape - The Suwop Serengeti
Interesting screwed vocal stuff here with some neat production. His last mixtape was cool, but this one seems to have stepped it up again. He could have a big 12 months.
man that massive tease of a snare at around 2:03. That whole 60 second clip after 1:30, really. Is someone rapping on this btw? idk it doesnt matter
- littlebirds and theShipment this'd this
Thoughts on the new Future song?
I like it a lot, that falsetto...
kinda gutted the album's not called 'Future Hendrix' anymore tho
not really feeling it
i mean, it's ok, and hasn't been a complete buzz killer for the album, but was expecting something bigger. the verses are a snooze fest.
I like it,
but not sure about it as a lead single? Sounds like a solid album track.georgiabeth this'd this
yeah, basically this
to say i'm not feeling it full stop is a bit harsh. just had high expectations for the single drop.
So many of the songs on Pluto grew on me, though.
Little worms that work their way in over time. Hoping this album does similar things.
so, wait wait hold on
no-one's mentioned the new Big Sean track w/Jay Electronica + Kendrick yet?
the internet is still going apeshit over Kendrick's verse & deservedly so. it's jawdropping
Yeah, this is great.
Well, I don't want Kendrick to be filling his own music with this kinda thing, but it's smart that he used a Big Sean song to vent and get himself a load of attention.
This feels very much like a verse from a rap fan trying to drag the best out of his heroes / competitors. You can read it as a battle rap or whatever but there's a lot of love there too - it's like his way of saying he wants to hear a new Andre 3000 album. He wants to hear Jay and Eminem with some fire in their bellies again.
Best thing is that none of the people mentioned are really equipped to come back at him - Kendrick's kinda untouchable at this point. Will be interested to see what comes out of it though - if that Barbie line is aimed at Nicki I'd love to hear her respond. I wouldn't envy the person that goes verse for verse with her.
Even ignoring the content I'm just loving how fired up the whole thing is
You can actually hear the spit in that little "popping prosthetic leg, bumping Pac in the cockpit" bit, it's fucking hype as shit
I did wonder whether he didn't mention Nicki directly on purpose.
In terms of big names her, Lil Wayne & Yeezy are the obvious ones left out. But I think she's the only one whos really got the ability to seriously challenge Kendrick at the moment.
This is a big deal, it seems.
Lupe, Joell responding. More to come Im sure.
I dont even think he beefed anyone directly. Maybe beef by omission is how some are seeing it. Great energy obv, good to hear someone with a radio presence firing people up.
Yeah its awesome.
With this and his verse on Collard Greens he's killing it.
I love the positive energy in the verse, not hating on anyone but trying reinviograte the whole scene. He's just like i'm so awesome you guys need to up your game, COME AT ME BRO.
New Clipse track from No Malice's mixtape is tight
Pretty hyped on these guys again.
On a side note, I gots high hopes for Pusha T's album, reckon we should get a healthy mix of Ye/HudMo experimentalism and street bangers. Could see this it being make or break for him as a solo artist too, so stakes is high.
This is ace
LOVE Numbers on the Boards and his last mixtape has grown on me a lot too.
Hope they don't keep pushing the release date back (no pun intended)
Doubt it's even finished
...as much as he's talking a big one about it being AOTY. Imagine some of the tracks from the last year wont make the cut now, but it would be nice to get the album before Numbers on the Boards has gone cold.
Maybe finding God hasn't ruined him huh?
Musicians who become born again Christians invariably go on to make music that sucks.
rappin hard rappppin haaaardd
On a similarly related note
this is too fucking funny:
Been laughing at the animal crackers one all day.littlebirds and Kyle_ this'd this
Know shippers mentioned it up there
but the new Billy Woods album is real good, huh? Possibly his best yet
Good record yeah.
He has a strong presence, always slightly vigilant but in control.
Whats the verdict on the miley cyrus 'controversy'?
Worth bothering about or worth a bit of chin strokey discussion?
Some are offended, some don't care.
Appropriation of the hip-hop culture is obv nothing new and has been going on for decades. Miley has a very 'white' background (country star dad, disney show, country pop crossover songs) so the video was kinda shocking in that it flipped perception, kinda reeks of Yo I am DOOOWN type of thing but if like Kreayshawn/lilDebbie/Vnasty did the same song/video (which they've basically been doing) no one would bat an eye, cos like, thats who they are, there's no question if they are fronting or not? Hip hop culture has completely mixed into the pot but when someone switches gears like Miley has, you kinda have to wonder about motives?
I just think the song sucks, which is my biggest issue with it.
1993 - 2013
Anyone dipped into the new Gucci Mane albums yet?
All three of them.
Gas: http://guccimane1017bricksquad.bandcamp.com/album/world-war-3-gas
Molly: http://guccimane1017bricksquad.bandcamp.com/album/world-war-3-molly
Lean: http://guccimane1017bricksquad.bandcamp.com/album/world-war-3-lean
Listening to Molly now and it's sounding great. I really want to take stock of his 2013 output properly at some point. There so many great songs scattered around but it's impossible to get a grasp of it all. Just when I was getting my head around Trap House III, there's another 54 songs to digest. It's a good project for later in the year though.
New Danny Brown x Darq E Freaker
It's good. If you liked Blueberry, you'll like this one.
I wish I liked this more
I loved Blueberry obviously, but the beat on this one is a bit more by numbers. It's still fun to hear Danny Brown over this kind of thing, but I remember hearing Blueberry and instantly rewinding it like 15 times. This is fun, but not much more than that for me.
Kinda worried I'm not gonna like Danny's album, but I have no proper reason to think that. I just hope he doesn't cling on to british production too much – there was enough of an influence running through Skywlkr's beats on XXX that he doesn't need to go hitting up Rustie and Dark E etc
I really like this
But I agree to some extent. This kind of stuff is rapidly getting done to death, whereas XXX was developing a pretty unique sound. Plus beats like this and Dope Song don't really give him enough room to do his thing; you only get that frenzied DB, which is cool, but doesn't showcase him at his warped best.
At the mo, I have no idea what will make the album and what won't. If it's rammed full of this stuff it'll be a mess, but I'll take it in small measures.
I'm with you there.
I think small measures of this is good, but it's basically not showing off his writing skills at all and I think that's a waste. Don't wanna be that guy who says people have to be super 'lyrical' – they obviously don't and Danny's crazy shit is all part of his character – but there are plenty of other people making turned up rap music. I just don't need DB for that.
Still, I'm sure Old will have loads of ideas going on, and he was suggesting in interviews it was gonna be fairly downbeat. I'll wait to hear how that stuff sounds.
What was cool about Blueberry was it was a proper Grime beat.
This one just sounds like Darq E aping US trap shit, and he's not very good at it.
Yeah its not to hot is it. Darq E Freaker did a track with Gita recently thats really 'trap' by numbers too. it wasn't that bad but still it aint Blueberry or Next Hype: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI8iGWrq85A dunno why he's apping it really he had a sound of his own down no problem.
Did you hear The Bug's latest track with Danny Brown?
Its awful and I really like them both. Spesh when you play it next to Flowdan's version on the same beat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSN5RIG2TZ8
And I'm a fan of both too. Danny has been spreading himself way to thin, and hasn't been particularly discerning in terms of features. This was never a good idea.
As for The Bug, I'm hoping he's saving all the good stuff for the album. EP is pretty meh.
Yeah I'm hopping the good stuff is to come from both of them
and this is just pre-album rlease stuff to get people thinking about them again stuff. It is pretty wicked Danny Brown has been working with these producers cos they deserve more love from MCs in general from all over the place be it grime or hip-hop but yeah he only suits certain stuff so it makes the beat sound shit as well when its done wrong.
Very amusing blog post about the manufacture of Kitty Pryde
The English translation is at the bottom.
"Do you believe that « Influential blogs » in rap music are necessarily manipulated by Stevielike guys?
Sometimes it's not completely conscious or as well thought out as Stevie did, so I don't know if we can talk about manipulation, but there are definitely some artists that are being helped by some blogs. It can be explained by friendliness. As artists eventually get closer with bloggers/journalists for instance. There is this one blog of a skating clothing brand, talking a lot about rap music; this is exactly what I'm saying… Rappers they highlight always have a small success thanks to their support… And after chatting here and there, I realised that it's just a huge friendliness network. Neither the rappers nor the bloggers are completely aware of it.
And there's also some quite vicious stuff. Here's a funny one. I'm part of a Facebook group gathering almost all the American bloggers, something like 10 rappers and a bunch of producers… One day we asked ourselves, if we all started to praise somebody at the same time on our different websites, wrapping up the whole thing well, like taking a beat from that well-known producer, a featuring with this hot cat and shit… Would we succeed in making believe he's dope ?
We took someone from the group who didn't know how to rap, someone ghostwrited his lyrics and we made him rap on some beat from a producer everyone would know… One after the other, every blogger from the group wrote some stuff to explain why it was dope… It worked. But even more than everything we could have imagined. As this artist went highly praised by all the « tastemaker » blogs, for real. We found him in some year-end blog lists from bone-headed hipsters websites nearly interested in rap, some articles saying it was revolutionary, including some big players like Complex, Fader, Spin, Pitchfork… And now… well this artist has a career. Not amongst the rap audience, but amongst kind of retarded hipsters who love to believe that they listen to rap music, it's a hit. This artist is touring now, hanging around with stars and shit… I think I won't reveal his identity for now, but someday someone will, for sure."
Yeah absolutely love all of this!
When the grass is cut, the snakes will show.
This is the payola of the tumblr era.
You have to read the martorialist's posts about this
and the comments section. He makes the claim that it's Kitty Pride that is being referred to in that last paragraph and then some people who were part of the the SECRET FACEBOOK GROUP chimed in.
Love this whole thing
because I get to say 'media cabal' loads and it sounds way more important than it actually is.
Having said that, I find it all really interesting and the internet has definitely made everything cliquey as fuck. Can't not have an impact.
It's nice being an outsider and not having an agenda.
The cliquey thing is so lame to me. One set of critics cant rep a certain act cos they didnt discover them first or cos they are throwing to much praise. Twitter beefing. It's all very silly.
versace versace versace versace versacetheShipment and badmanreturns this'd this
Liking Spark Master Tape, that _Kyle posted
Spark Master Tape - The Suwop Serengeti
Gimmicky, but very catchy. I love All I Know.
Yeah, instinct tells me I should be cynical about SMT
But his music is way too fun for that. 'All I Know' is a jam for sure.
Who is he?
Is it an alter ego for someone well knows, a la Captain Murphy?
No idea
There was a bunch of speculation, but it's just a random as far as I know.
Yeah, really enjoying this too
Thought the vocals would get old very quickly but they don't at all. Top to bottom great - this and a the various Guccis are my favourites this year
Latest column here if anyone's interested
Words on Ka, Starlito, Billy Woods, Kendrick's verse, some mixtapes...
bnilly woods is properly great isn't he
def one of the most arresting and intersing rappers currently working
p.s. good column
I love a few songs,
as a whole it was all a bit grunty for me though. Plenty of decent songs, but I like Freddie when his flow has that ridiculous sing-song quality to it so this album didn't appeal to me like his others.
High hopes for whatever he does next though, and obviously the MadGibbs project whenever that drops. In terms of raw rapping abilities, he's probably the best around.
Durag Dynasty album is pretty good after one listen
Planet Asia and some other dudes produced by Alchemist. Not really essential but still good if you need some baps.
Feel like
there's a really healthy amount of stellar youtube content from some of the US media at the moment, particularly Sway and Hot 97. this Mistah Fab freestyle on Sway.... jeeeezzzzz......
the earl sweatshirt one from last week was good too for very different reasons. and the riff raff one is hilarious
I'm feeling the new Danny Brown track
I hope he manages to channel all this oddball creativity into a coherent album.
Another nice track from Pusha T feat. Chris Brown
Really into this now
Chris Brown manages to nail the dark R&B/rap shit pretty well; guess it's not surprising Pusha makes him work after all his experience with Pharrell jumping on his tracks. Liking the cheesy vapourwave harmonies too
Freddie Gibbs x Madlib release date
February 4, 2014.
New song https://soundcloud.com/rappcats/freddie-gibbs-madlib-deeper
I don't remember the last time I was this excited for a record.
Although in the hip hop world that might as well be Feburary 4 of Never, when you factor in inevitable delays etc. Hope it does come then though, we've been waiting for this far too long.
I was hoping that February 4 is far enough in the future for them to get their shit together, but yeah, point taken.
That new song is really great – it's like a Gangsta Gibbs love song, which means it isn't really a love song at all. These beats seem to bring something extra out of him.
probably been mentioned above
but really digging the new earl sweatshirt. kind of murky, which I like.
not so keen when Tyler has a go, though. his voice sucks.
love that creepy David Axelrod sampled tune - that's fucking real cool.
Yeah, I like Doris a lot
It's funny you say Tyler's voice sucks though – I think he has an amazing rap voice. It's only because I associate it with his persona that it's a problem for me.
I think there's the perfect amount of Tyler on Doris
I really enjoy his bits on Sasquatch.
Doris is a really really great album. Maybe some people were expecting some hyper OF shit but for me it's exactly how I want an Earl record to sound.
oh, can I have a list of the go-to albums of 2013, so far
got Run the Jewels, which is fucking great, but been out the loop for a while.
thanks pals
Shippers' list is a good place to start
Needless to say, Night's Gambit is incredible.
Very much enjoying J Zones new one
Peter Pan Syndrome
Not sure how replay value it'll have
but worth checking out! Some very funny tracks (like Gadget Ho) might become very unfunny after 10+ listens.
Some brilliant production. Lots of purely instrumental tracks.
No love for Trap Lord?
Wasn't sold on Long Live but Ferg has so much more charisma than Rocky.
Shabba is obviously massive (totally destroyed it at Carnival) but the rest of the album is really engaging listen too, particularly like the beat selection.
Loved Long Live, and loving this too
Well done A$AP mob.
Is it just me
or is the new 2 Chainz album really good?
Haven't listened yet, about to load the CD onto my phone though
will report back tomorrow morning, pumped for it now though. Enjoyed the single with Pharrell anyway.
I'm kinda stunned by how much I like this.
I knew it would be good for a few bangers, but I even like the slower ones and the bonus tracks. Didn't think he had a mainstream album this consistent in him.
Much as I love 2 Chainz I kinda think of him as a bit of a novelty capable of big fun bangers but not much else. So like you i'm surprised by how consistently good the album is. Got Where U Been on repeat.
Here are some samples
Used 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50E8BZRBmFI
^^ Mannie Fresh beat on this one >>
Mainstream Ratchet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FffSaXS_eHE
^^ title is ridiculous, sonics are incredible.
Where U Been http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=car0Ep74KCU
^^ Mike Will Made It beat. Tity Boi quotables.
Feds Watching http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NttlPwNKd_M
^^ You probs heard the single, but just in case.
Really want some gritty New Yoik rap in my life
What's good besides Ka and Roc Marciano?
Not been a vintage New York year, but...
These are worth checking if you haven't already
Mr MFN eXquire - Kismet (especially this)
Prodigy and Alchemist - Albert Einstein
Killah Priest - The Psychic World of Walter Reed
Billy Woods - Dour Candy
$amhill - The Preface
Run the Jewels (obv)
aye good list
also add the Durag Dynasty album for some more Alchemist productions.
Not really gritty but NY nonetheless is the Pete Rock / Camp Lo mixtape which appeals to the old man in me.
This Midaz the Beast album is pretty good
Pusha's album is shaping up really nicely
Love the artwork too. Hope all the songs are this minimal.
When I say I love the artwork
I mean this stuff, rather than the barcode thing http://rtv_news.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pusha-t-my-name-is-my-name-2.jpg
XXL claimed it was to Yeezus what Common's Be was to LR
But from what I've heard that sells Pusha short. I don't feel hypocritical in feeling his tracks and not Ye's. This stuff is grittier, firmly rooted in hip hop, and actually minimal, rather than just claiming to be.
Not sure if it can live up to Lord Willin', or Hell Hath No Fury, but it's sounding pretty interesting.
Agree with the artwork. This be my favourite so far
Yeah I'm with you on that, this is completely removed from anything to do with Yeezus
Apart from Kanye's production being on the record, there's very little in common between the two. It's shaping up to be the solo record that I've been waiting for from Pusha, the mixtapes had some great moments but also were a mess of styles and as fun as stuff like Millions is, it's way more of a MMG track than something I want to hear Pusha on. If the whole of MNIMN sounds as minimal and clunking as this then it may well be a seriously solid record, and a proper follow up to Clipse.
Some cuts
Young Buck - Rage
nice Gaye sample, pretty simple stuff but I really have a lot of love for Buck's raps, always have. He and Drumma Boy are responsible for one of my favorite tracks of the last five years
P Rico - Gladiators
Not really over excited about drill in general, it all sounds the same! lol thats the worst thing to say but I'm familiar enough with it to know and appreciate the subtle differences when I see/hear them. Like even this video is in the same vein with the shaking/nodding dreads, bouncing, finger trigger squeezing at the camera over n over, etc. but its the addition of the fatigues, vests, hummers that make it a little more unique compared to the usual street corner black and white videos. The beat is similar to whats out there but the low end horn stabs marching along to the beat immediately grab these ears. And gun sounds, always down with gun sounds. The whole thing just sounds tough..
Asap Ferg - Hood Pope
Cos it sounds like vintage Bone Thugs. Strange vocal melodies and cadences, half way in and out of singing/rapping, cant make its mind up, rumbling bass, memorable OOOOOOoooooo's. ear worm.
Ampichino - Never Here
idk hard to pick just one song from Da Krayzies 2. There's 29 songs on there and like at least half are bonafied tear jerkers. Very heavy and affecting stuff, I mean, even the intro ffs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oqzVzEYF64 One of my favorite releases this year and there's still a ton there to re-discover. Amp is also on this http://youtu.be/K4t0NQ62OHs beat is special...
speaking of special beats: Roach Gigz - Dont Forget the Gigz
!! that beat, contender for best of the year imo.
Roachy Balboa has plenty of jams, worthy download for sure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6-F4NKGSz0 <- hella fun kinda sloppy verses, he heats up and tightens up the flow about 1/3 of the way through and by the end is just blacking out
Also enjoyed this feature:
(that dad bopping w his daughter <3)
(possibly outdated) question.
is there a reason why every hip hop mixtape/album has to have an excessive amount of tracks? has it just become the norm for no particular reason?
do you listen to them all the way through or do you cherrypick?
Started in the 90s when all record labels started
to cram as much as they could on a cd cos hell why not. More bang for the buck was the thought. Sometimes it works, usually it doesnt.
I def cherry pick and tbf some of my favorite mixtapes of the last few years are like 2/3 good. People are just so programmed to think about things in an album format that if whatever we are listening to doesn't fit that perfectly-paced/perfectly-lengthed/perfectly-track#'d ideal of the perfect album then it's cast aside. There are other ways to digest music and with hip hop these days, to really dive in, you kinda have to be willing to suffer through some crap... or find people you trust who have a similar pallet and listen to whatever they rec.
Yeah but their are plenty of 17-18 tracks records
which IMO never take the dip in quality of some of the filler tracks on highly ranked indie albums... and if you don't like a few, delete them. It's no biggie.
Re: Mixtapes, putting a load of track on them suits the format too. It's meant to give the artist a chance to try out new ideas and see what sticks. They're free too, so if you get 2 or 3 bangers, why complain.
I just think that people have to check their rockist notions of an album at the door a little. At times, some rap artists play up to those conventions, and do a good job, but more often than not albums haven't been made with those in mind. It seems one reason that Kanye's increasing adherence to those principles has bought him a larger 'indie rock' following, even while the quality of his music has dropped off substantially.
I think it's much less of an issue than it was in the 90s (...one that wasn't unique to hip hop either). Plenty of artists put out shorter records now there isn't the same pressure to fill your album to make it 'better value' than the next.
...and my :/ was in response to hearing this question time and time again growing up listening to hip hop, and finally hoping that the general white indie boy acceptance of hip hop (as well as the noticeable changes hip hop itself) had put an end to it.
i barely listen to 'traditional' albums any more
and i'm definitely not a rockist. mostly listen to mixes these days, which are even lengthier than your average hip hop mixtape. it was just a genuine question, 's all.
Dont sweat it, ask away.
You like the raps? Hit us with your top five so we can judge accordingly.
dunno about top 5
some of my highlights of this year so far:
Amber London - tru 2 tha phonk (can't stop listening to servin fiendz)
Rome Fortune
Young Scooter
Western Tink/Beautiful Lou
also these are really good, would like to hear your impressions shipment :
Havent heard the WT/BL yet, just downloaded.
Downloading those other two now too. I'll get back to you when I get a chance to check.
- badmanreturns and Kyle_ this'd this
man, this is just brilliant isn't it?
Great interview here:
Haha, nice
I like how the interviewer really perseveres trying to get a good soundbite about Harold's, but Gibbs is basically just saying "It's a chicken shop. I like chicken."
Good stuff in there though. Glad to hear that I can go on calling the album cocaine pinata. Also "Reverend-ass parents" made me laugh.
Delivery on the hook is kinda obnoxious.
New Pusha T
King Push http://vimeo.com/75602188
Joaquin Phoenix on the beat. Okay.
I'd love to know how this came about
and to what extent it's actually produced by Joaquin Phoenix...
Love the snares on that beat
Good job Joaquin! Taken as an album-opener I think that track'll do nicely.
Does it strike any one else as lazy
that Kanye used the same vocal sample from New Slaves in King Push?
New Starlito and Don Trip
Definitely one of my most highly anticipated tapes of the year
:( poor trip in that video.
love these guys
Wu 20th anniversary merchandise now into full gear...
Reckon you get a free helmet with extra neck protection too?
I know it's tacky as hell
but I sort of really want this.badmanreturns and yes_ this'd this
same with this
I mean... I really considered it. I would'ave got it but I don't fuck with man made fabrics in my knitwear
New Pusha T album stream!
Afraid so
Mulling it over now
Fuck that.
I'll wait a few days.
someone's put all the tracks up on youtube
Think this might genuinely be AOTY material. Production is so good throughout. Plenty of the tracks that we haven't heard yet stand up to those already released.emmettcruddas this'd this
scratch that, jumped the gun
just redirects to myspace
Okay, so this is cool
But needs less choruses. And by less, I mean none.
Yeah, I'm half way through this
and so far the production and Pusha have been nails. Kanye, The-Dream, Kevin Cossom... Entirely unnecessary. It's not enough to properly bring it down, but it would've been some deep shit without the pop hooks.badmanreturns and Antpocalypsenow this'd this
Can't help but feel a little... disappointed.
Maybe in the end I'll be happy with what we actually got here, but this could have so easily been much better than it actually is.Antpocalypsenow this'd this
I wouldn't say Ye ruined it as such
the beats prolly wouldn't be as blazing if he hadn't had his hand in it, but even Pharrell knew sing-along choruses weren't for Clipse.
Latest Black Milk cut
it's really good guys.
The other single off this is even better, somehow I missed it when it dropped
More classic Black Milk sound on this one, but real top notch production nonetheless.
Don't want to spam the links up, but there's one more which has an impromtu drum and bass/free jazz break down
so I think they'll be plenty of left turns on it.
Been enjoying these new songs too
Black Milk and Quelle Chris guest on the latest episode of the Shots Fired podcast.
Decent listen http://www.earwolf.com/episode/detroit/
was tempted to start a whole new thread for just this because that's how good it is
I can't stop playing it. It's been on rotation like 30 times now. Godamn. I love this dude, pretty sure he's going to be big one day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOvslhyHhMc
Yup, it's pretty great.
'Some Ones' particularly I've rinsed since the tape came out.
Best sideburns in rap probably.
Since we're all here today...
anyone been listening to the Vic Mensa tape 'Innanetape'?
same vein is Chance
Been enjoying it.
Not sure exactly how much yet because my listening has been split by Pusha, Danny Brown and a bunch of mixtapes. Lots to like though
I don't even know where to start with this
So what this guy's saying is
he listened to Eminem at school cos he was 11 and everyone was doing it, and now he's doing the same, except now it's cool to do so, whilst trying to throw in some vague platitudes about what hip-hop was like in between these two periods of time.
Guys! He's seen basically everyone who was on 1 Train live!
Therefore he's qualified to tell us Mac Miller is the best live hip hop act out there and everyone else is shit!
I'm just so exhausted by the internet rn
everyone is trying to be an expert at everything with none of the leg work.
It's cool that the writer is excited by rap music, but there's no thought, history or research gone into any points that he's trying to make. You can't just decide you're interested in rap and then jump in making sweeping claims about the last 20 years of albums you never gave the time of day because they weren't trendy. I've always been a big supporter of the internet / Twitter for widening critical thought, but the last few weeks have tested me big time on that.
people will always try and stick their oar in without knowing shit
it's pretty lame that vice would actually publish this, but what the hey.
Fucking Vice
^In my autofill
This isn't really a revolutionary or new opinion
I've heard it a lot. Even from DiS bedwetters. It's obviously stupid though.
Def nothing new but always fun to be reminded
of how crap hip-hop (all genres) journalism is on a whole.
for sure
it's still sad that none of the editors of the music section know enough about hip hop (in this day and age) to can it.
i enjoy every single NME review of a major hip hop release for this very reason. the 6/10 for 'Chicago MC' Kendrick Lamar will always be a favourite.
Been waiting for this for a while
Lil Durk is probably my favourite from the drill scene in Chicago, mostly because he doesn't really sound like the other guys. Lots of numb auto-tune hooks but with these huge beats in the background that make it really urgent and cathartic at the same time. I guess it might not appeal to everyone, but this sounds great to me on first listen.
Sounds up my street
I've been trying to get into the Tink mixtape, she's from that scene and had that awsome track with Future Brown: https://soundcloud.com/future-brown/wanna-party-ft-tink the tape has its moments like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEaqK2Gz1i4 but nothing comes even close to that track.
Yeah, reckon you'd be into this
This one is a top 5 song of 2013 for me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgA-wVkuZGo
Tink can be wicked, but wasn't feeling that new tape so much. She's a really good singer too though, I reckon she could break through next year.
Yeah her singing is pretty wicked
Yeah this Lil Durk track is on that Future, Young Scooter, Young Thug tip.
This might be one of my favourite tracks of the year on that tip: http://youtu.be/DKnYzRW2b04
Future - Keep On Shinin' ft. Casino
Mega! Thanks
Was just wondering whether I could realistically listen to Das EFX for an entire working afternoon, this has saved me having to find outwhynot this'd this
This is fucking brilliant right everyone?
Rapping isn't all that but it's still good, the beats are amazing though
It's going to take me a little while to digest it given how many directions he goes off in
But it's definitely on the level of the first two albums (both great IMO) and way ahead of Album of the Year.
Yeah, it felt pretty disjointed to me the first couple of listens
It's totally clicked for me now though, I'm a big fan of it. (That free-jazz breakdown at the end of Perfected on Puritan Avenue still does nothing for me though)
Kendrick. Money trees
What a fucking banger
The new Flatbush Zombies mixtape...
... Better off dead is Ace. Super lyrical most of the time and most of the production is great too.
Know there's a conversation upthread, butttttt....
Whaddya all think of the new Black Milk?
I like it a lot actually. He's still not the best rapper, but he hides it well on most of these tracks. and the production might be his best yet
It's brilliant
Really clicked with me over the last few days
The production is really incredible on this
He took time out to work on sound engineering, and you can really tell. Sounds amazing on headphones.
It's a shame he'll never quite do his beats justice, but there we go. You just wonder what the Danny Brown/Black Milk collab could have sounded like if they went all out.
Seriously, what the fuck is this.
I might actually listen to this album. Everything from it has been a complete car crash... and those are always entertaining.
This probably belongs in the old people's hip hop thread there used to be
but Redman put out a tape a couple of days ago. It's a mixtape in the original sense in that it's him (and a couple of mates occasionally) over a bunch of other people's beats.
Great beat selection and although a couple of tracks are a bit cheesy, Red is on top form throughout. So basically nearly an hour of one of the most underrated MCs ever, on fire, for free. Pick it up, pick it up!
Oh nice, DL'd this a couple days ago
but will move it up in the listening queue.
Yah, this sounds good to me.
Love Red... but he hasn't released a really good record since Muddy Waters... like 20 years ago.
Totally fair comment, but he has done some great guest spots and all of his albums still have a couple of proper jams
What makes this so good really - higher percentage of great tracks than any of his recent albums.
Probably overrating it tbh, but hadn't listened to Redman for a long time and it just reminded me of how great he can be when he's on it
Docs Da Name and Blackout are great u crazy.
Malpractice is pretty good, Blackout 2 had some jams. Granted most of his bad choices of late have been from a production side cos he still nails guest spots all the time and is usually good for a handful of quality tracks every year or two.
Blackout 2 was just ok
Docs was pretty average too iirc... Not hating, the guys a legend, he's just not put out a record with any consistency in donkeys years.
If nothing else give 'Zip Lock' a go
Made me laugh, anyway
On a vet tip
Did anyone hear the new Devin the Dude album? Was wondering if it was worth checking? Haven't really checked in since Waiting to Inhale.
seriously, don't listen to it.
it's reallllly bad
One of my friends started a discussion of Facebook about whether
Scottish hip hop was being taken seriously.
I was of the opinion that hip hop artists with identifiable British accents away from the mainstream norm often struggle to get recognition, which made me think of Aspects as Mystery Theatre was one of the first hip hop albums I was into after my "hip hop isn't entirely shit" epiphany.
Turns out they have a new album out, haven't given it enough of a listen for proper thoughts yet.
New Roc Marciano tape!
Good to see Marci Beaucoup is just around the corner too.
Listening to a lot of The Roots at the minute
Do they still tour?
Been a long time since they've been to the UK
They sort of went on touring hiatus when they joined Jimmy Fallon, but they seem to still play the odd festival in the States. Saw them in 2008 and it was incredible.
There was meant to be an new album this year too, but it's been pushed back I guess.
I saw them at Wireless last year
highlight of the festival.
seems like I was wrong then!
at the same time, I don't think they've toured gig venues in ages.
Either way, cracking live act.
loads of 'kast tributes dropping atm
Loads of stuff coming in on 'kast at the moment as they approach 20.
Outkast: a Retrospective:
Fact's Top 50 Outkast joints:
(*to start off, they got 1 and 2 the wrong way around.)
Kyle's brilliant take on Aquemini (for anyone who didn't see it):
ATLiens #25
below 4 Love Below tracks, no less!
idk, top 3 are all unfuckwithable. there's a fair chance i'd have picked the same. after that it's a mess.
i basically only posted these because i wanted to talk about outkast four a bit, and i was vaguely confused why everyone was doing features on them.
Gonna be LOTS of 20 years later lookbacks over the five years or so
as the glory days of hh are re-visited
http://pitchfork.com/features/rolling-on-dubs/ etc etc
I think it's cool. That p4k piece was too massive for my liking tho. I made it through a couple of them and lost interest a little. Will finish at some point. Kyle's piece is good.
Gonna be LOTS of 20 years later lookbacks over the five years or so
as the glory days of hh are re-visited
http://pitchfork.com/features/rolling-on-dubs/ etc etc
I think it's cool. That p4k piece was too massive for my liking tho. I made it through a couple of them and lost interest a little. Will finish at some point. Kyle's piece is good.
Probably lots of misguided 20 year reunions and sequels too.
Will be interesting to see what tributes are coughed up. Hopefully see some of the more slept on classics get some exposure rather than thousands of odes to Illmatic. That P4K article could well do that.
That list makes NO SENSE
How is 13th Floor/Growing Old not on there?
G-Side is back together
Weren't really apart long enough for this to be news, but still, I'm happy about this.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/MicrophoneCheck/2013/11/11/244602925/-all-daps-and-hugs-g-side-reunites-and-releases-a-new-songlittlebirds and theShipment this'd this
Keep banging on about Zaytoven
but seriously what even is this beat, I love it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urBGUt7ZD8c
I like this track a lot
Boldy James - Reform (feat. earl sweatshirt, da$h and domo genesis)
- Antpocalypsenow and Dan_S this'd this
contemporary hip hop and homophobia/homoeroticism
thought this was kind of an interesting take on more controversial aspect of modern hiphop
so the Godfathers album (Kool G Rap & Necro collab) has finally dropped and it's excellent
I'm sure none of you herbs will bother but you can't front http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFtRFSh0y0c
KGR rhymes some of the most technical stuff I've heard him do. All Necro production so bangers galore.
I will check this out.
I just wish it was a G Rap album produced by Necro instead of a duel rapper thing.
I'm not getting carried away here
But I think it's safe to say that I've just sparked the best collaboration of next year between Black Milk, El-P and Killer Mike over on Twitter.
Watch this space...
did you spark a twinteraction?
new Chef
Doesn't quite capture the magic of what Roc Marc and Ka are doing right now, but it's nice nonetheless. Rae still goes in.
New Three 6 Mafia tape
Although they've been renamed Da Mafia 6ix, presumably due to the absence of Juicy J (except on one cut). Only given it a brief listen but its sounds surprisingly solid, considering the circumstances. Download here:
Might even end up amongst my favourite records of the year
That said, I've really not been on it the last 12 months.
Been a pretty weak year overall I think.
Stuff Ive liked but not fallen over for you know? Life has changed too so thats probably why idk.
And by a 'weak year' I hope everyone knows that that's based on my inflated expectations.
Years don't matter of course and I'm sure over time more jewels will be sifted out. I obv still love a lot of stuff and could compile a nice list of tracks/releases etc. idk I'm sure its just a personal thing, I think I'm just caring less and less, probably just getting old?
Like I still haven't even been able to get all the way through Danny Brown and really feel no need to. Or the Pusha T. Listened to Kanye like two times, didn't care about it, couldn't even muster up enough energy to defend it or fight against it.
Nah, wouldn't say it's just you
Aside from Ka and a few other things, I wouldn't say there's been that many front-to-back great records either. I think it might be partly because last year was so great for me, or maybe this year has been too but I haven't had time to dig as deep.
I'm usually an albums guy, but I'm kinda more excited to make a list of songs this year.
I kind of feel the same way
I mean, I've still checked out most of the hyped releases and nothing's really stuck. Was wondering if there'd be anything I'd care to write about if Kyle did the thread wrap up again.
Still, Roc Marc is still to come, maybe Main Attrakionz will drop 808s 3 out of nowhere... meanwhile a couple of the most anticipated never dropped i.e. Gunplay, Schoolboy Q (although expectations have been revised downward for that one).
Seems increasingly like big name mainstream hip hop is a one man show at the moment, so lets hope K-Dot is cooking up something for next year.
By the way, Kyle, are you doing a similar thing this year?
Was an interesting read fo sho.
Yeah, I'll be doing an end-of-year round-up again
I think it's due first week of December and I've been kinda unorganised so I'll probably just write it all this time. Will the drop the link in here once it's live.
I think it's been a pretty solid year.
Some really great tunes. I agree there's been very few front to back amazing albums/tapes, but I guess I just adopt the same approach I've learned from mixtapes. i.e. listen a couple of times then delete the lame tunes. It's the only way I can manage it with all these hopelessy long albums.
In terms of the 'big' releases the only one I really rate is Pusha T. The Kanye record is just plain terrible, the Danny Brown is too tiring to listen to in one go and Drake has some great tunes but... it's a Drake album...
Think you'll be surprised how much good stuff there is when you sit down to make a list. But then when you compare how much AMAZING R&B there's been this year rap does come out looking weak.
Was tempted
but kinda told myself I wasn't gonna go to any more Odd Future-related shows after I saw EarlWolf last year. It's a shame because I love Earl and with the right crowd I can imagine a solo show being great, but I'd just end up moaning about OF fans all night. I feel so old typing that, but jesus they are the worst.
On a related note, I just watched this Nardwuar interview with Earl and Syd http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPO6PfZMPq8
Yeah, I was weighing it up for that reason as well
Kinda hoping that the album alienated a lot of the younger OF crowd and that he'd kind of go under the radar a bit but that seems like pretty idealistic thinking to me.
i think
even though he definitely stands out by being the most genuinely intelligent/dark/weird odd future member the fact that he's been performing with tyler, taco and jasper dolphin kind of denies this possibility. but who knows maybe he'll just bring vince staples and it'll be a different beast
anyone listen to Charlie Sloth's show on saturday nights on 1 xtra?
Guess he's taken over from tim westwood. Ususally at work til 10 on a saturday night so stick it on for the last hour, its good fun. Lots of air horns and a few good tracks.
where do you stand on the majorish/more hyped releases of this year?
Want to see if I should give any of these a second chance.
So; Drake, Kanye, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Tyler, Earl, Kid Cudi, Chance, Run The Jewels, Jay-Z, J Cole, Mac Miller, Eminem, Pusha T, Danny Brown (+whatever else.)
for me;
Great: Acid Rap, Yeezus
Good: Old, My Name Is My Name
Alright: Doris, Indicud, Run The Jewels
Poor: Nothing Was The Same, whatever the Tyler release was, longliveasap.
Shocking: Magna Carta
Not bothered with the others or can't remember them.
Not a huge amount I'd recommend to the casual fan
but these are better than the stuff on that list in general, for sure. It's been a pretty dodgy year for 'flagship' releases...
Here's 10 you might have missed:
Black Milk - No Poison, No Paradise
Tree - Sunday School II
Billy Woods - Dour Candy
Friendzone - DX
Prodigy x Alchemist - Albert Einstein
Ryan Hemsworth - Guilt Trips
Kevin Gates - The Luca Brasi Story
Ka - Night's Gambit
Clipping - Midcity
Quasimoto - Yessir Whatever
I'd second Tree, Kevin Gates & Friendzone
Not heard the rest so I dunno.
I think people into mainstream bits would be into Future as well. Everyone seems to be doing a Future this year, at some point they go auto-goon... even Miley Cyrus did it. Future is the man in hip-hop at the moment. If you like T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Drake and Kanye you're going to like Future in the next few years it's just going to happen, may as well jump in now. His mixtape this year was wicked.
That tape was pretty tight.
I just forgot about it as it dropped so early. Pluto is obviously worth investigating for anyone new to Future, great record.
Out of those, Kanye and Chance are the only ones I think are totally brilliant. Danny Brown and RTJ up there too.
Pusha T, Earl and A$AP Rocky, worth a listen to find the great tracks.
Tyler was a massive disappointment, Drake and Jay-Z both rubbish.
Chance and Kanye
The best two. I really like the Earl album too and think that Mac Miller album has quite a lot going for it.
Speaking of Mac Miller, the Vince Staples/Larry Fisherman (Mac's production alias) LP is massively underrated, Stolen Youth, great from front to back.
I also think the new Flatbush Zombies tape is a winner.
Out of these
I liked Chance and RtJ.
I liked some bits of Ye, Drake, PT, J Cole
Was bored by Cudi, Jay Z, Rocky, Earl
V much did not like Em, Tyler,
Havent really spent the time on Danny yet.
Probably won't listen to Mac Miller
Based on a recommendation from Facebook
I've been listening to Hector Bizerk, live band backed Scottish hip-hop. Rather enjoying it, the drumming is powerful, the rapping tight and some good politically charged lyrics and some good storytelling. Band adds some great backing and results in a couple of tracks taking rather unexpected twists and turns, this track is a fairly good representation of the type of thing to expect.
good auld louie
I hate the nerdy shit he does with the live band but his more 'conventional' stuff is pretty great http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGP98zuyNUc
Yeah, that songs cool
Saw hector bizerk at Music Language last year, which is a brilliant festival/weekend thing where they tend to put on more subdued experimental/folky/chin strokey stuff during the day then move the Grand Ol' Opry for the nighttime session. I like a bit of wanky art music myself but in small doses so when hector bizerk came on it really lifted the energy up, they were just really fun... but deep down I know a lot of it is basically just kinda cheesy. Respect to him for doing his own thing though.
That is genuinely
the worst song I've heard this year.
I could do with more nerds for this thread
I know you're here haha.
flatbush zombies
really uh creeping up on me.
love this video, meechy darko and erick arc elliott kill it.
This is good.. Jay-Z ranks his own albums from best to worst.
Switch around vol. 3 and Magna Carta and he might be on to something. Knock vol. 1 into the classics too.
If you give him the benefit of the doubt for lack of perspective on Magna Carta, this is a relatively honest look at shit.
"12. Kingdom Come (First game back, don't shoot me)."
ha, giving way too much love to American Gangster
and obv his new one. Vol 3 and 1 waaaay too low.
At least he knows Kingdom is the worst though.
I can't even bring myself to listen to Magna Carta but I highly doubt it's better than Vol. 3
Probably worse than Kingdom Come
Dude needs to retire for real now.
I agree with Jay on American Gangster
Some real grown man shit. It never heats above a simmer, but it's easily his best lyrical performance since Blueprint, with some real smooth beats from Diddy and the Hitmen.
Also sounds kind of timeless. Can't see it aging. Can see why others might find it a bit dull, though.
My end of year column is up now
great read.
really enjoyed it. agree with all selections. beautifully articulated the appeal of the Earl album... need to check out that denino farrar that's been in the back of my mind all year.
Nice read. Going through the tracks now.
I miss the tracks write-ups tho!
I would have written about tracks if I had more time. The playlist is a bit standard, but it's meant as an overview of the year with a few favourites thrown in really.
Glad you agree about Earl, Navajo. I feel like people keep holding the Odd Future kids up to the standard of 'Yonkers' and expect them to keep making crossover hits. Actually though, I think it's better if they steer clear of all that and just indulge their inner rap nerds. That's basically why I like Doris a lot – it just sounds very distinctly like an Earl record, albeit with a bit more maturity that is inevitable with age. I also think Tyler could have great records in him, but ultimately he's too much of a show-off to make the music I want him to.
So this really rather great Busta & Tip track is the precursor to an entire mixtape, it turns out
Called 'The Abstract & The Dragon'. It's out in like 2 days. I mean it could be really average but they still have two of my favourite voices, ever, of all time, so it could be fucking great.
There's a trailer here: http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/videos/id.15022/title.q-tip-busta-rhymes-the-abstract-and-the-dragon-trailer-
Yeah, I like Thank You a lot.
The mixtape could be really great, or really disappointing.
Also sliding in to fuck up our end-of-year lists, Roc Marciano.
The first (proper) tune is off the chain!
Properly great to hear Phyfe, Tip and Busta going classic style on a Tribe-flavoured beat. Not heard the rest yet.
E-40 just released his newest triple album, the Block Brochure.
I'm going in.
Not available on UK spotify :(
Will catch up to this eventually though. Any good?
Rich Kidz - A Westside Story
^^ Really enjoying this new one from Rich Kidz. Atlanta duo with super sickly sugar-coated hooks, but they really know how to write a song. There's probably more singing than there is rapping, but great beats throughout.
No love for Lizzo in this thread?
Batches and Cookies is a tune.
The album is good as well.
Can I just say a big thank you to all the regulars in this thread?
Listened to more hip-hop than ever this year, in no small part due to the great stream of recommendations posted right here. So cheers, here's to a great 2014 and all that :)
Wrote a bit about my top 30 mixtape joints if anyone's interested, hopefully a good little round-up. Far from exhaustive, comments appreciated etc.
Yeah, this thread is the shit
Cheers guysnavajo, yes_, and coolerthantv this'd this
Cool blog dude.
Lots of great stuff covered. Pikacho over errything.
Yeah thanks guys!
Mostly lurk in this thread but its been a big part of my rediscovery of hip-hop over the last 12/18 months. Always full of great recommendations/discussion... I really ought to post in here from time to time.
The Abstract and the Dragon dropped today
like the first 4 tracks, that's how far I've gotten so far. really into it. definitely a labour of love and i like the creative approach to a retrospective mixtape, having new tracks and new guest spots on old tracks. i'd like to see more stuff like this. Busta Rhymes jumping on God Lives Through! so sick
Feels kinda scrappy, in a good way
Reminds me that Busta Rhymes has pretty much the best voice in hip-hop
Noz's songs of 2013
Pretty solid list, some on here I need to check out.
Ha was trying to bump that thread cos our third kid was born.
He is cool, life is gooood.
ANYWAY. Enjoying these year-end roundups floating around. Started in on my own lists and man there's way more than I thought. 4get everything I said upthread.
Dom Kennedy 'Get Home Safely' has been ruling my listening for a couple weeks. Its throwback cali vibes appeal very much to my roots. Laid back and kinda lazy but its v addicting.
Congrats Shippers. I like Dom Kennedy on Q's tape, worth a listen.
Congratulations man!
Just in time for Christmas :)
Feel free to drop that list here. I'm interested. Not heard the Dom Kennedy, so I'll get on it.Dan_S this'd this
Awsome news.
Troy Ave 'New York City' mixtape
is classssic NY bap but like late 90s-early g unit 00s style. If you like that type of thing then this is top top top notch stuff. Front to back solid.
^sounds a bit like Jay Z 'Sunshine'
King Louie - Drillumunati 2
Sequel to the killer tape from last year. Its more on a bangin' tip than Jeep Music. Just what I dig from King Louie.
Lil B's '05 Fuck Em' mixtape
101 tracks long. No idea how to even begin to approach this. The timing and the nature of the release did definitely enrich my christmas though.
Ps. happy christmas and new year rolling hip-hoppers
Main Attrakionz Brick Tape
seems to have been a bit neglected in the end-of-years.