Boards

http://youtu.be/VP8_U2yV32U

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.

Naturally, at least half of these are completely speculative, but it's a quiet time of year

http://www.complex.com/music/2013/01/the-50-most-anticipated-albums-of-2013/

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.

Missed Ciara on the list. Hoping for some big tracks on that one.

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.

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.

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.

'Doe or Die 2' coming soon apparently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rc3c5ewtRM

He sounds like he hasn't aged a day, could be a sleeper hit.

this came out last November, but I'll post it anyway because Action Bronson is really good on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvPTnur1F0k

Haha, not heard this. Big lolz over Asian Bronson.

Well, I like it anyway...

Just a funny video that's all.

aside from the 3 singles, can't believe it got such a high score a P4K. Well, I kind of can, but still surprised

but some decent tracks are coming out from it

https://soundcloud.com/angelhazeym/shut-the-fuck-up-angel-haze
https://soundcloud.com/azealia-banks/no-problems-prod-by

but still wins just for jumping on that Machinedrum beat.

but he can still spit, and hopefully the DoD2 concept will keep him focused.

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.

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.

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.

http://fakefour.bandcamp.com/album/twenties-hungry-the-unbound-anthems-of-yesteryear

new Kitty Pryde sounds pretty good to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1LlgfPF2dQ

Was it just a joke?

I don't know - what WAS the whole Alex Locastro thing?

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.

http://keyboardkid206.bandcamp.com/

^Some lovely stuff on here.

Been keep an eye-out for 2013 raps too but nothing has really blown me away yet.

http://indy.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/20429/tree-tree-featuring-the-city.html

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.

Big K.R.I.T (extraordinary)>Joey Bada$$>Yelawolf>Action Bronson> Kendrick>Danny Brown>A$AP

really getting into Joey Bada$$ at the moment

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

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 :-)

But he's done the same thing better elsewhere.
http://popdust.com/2012/12/18/asap-rocky-1-train-seven-rappers/

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.

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 quite like the fader one but it doesnt come out often enough

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...

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.

http://www.earwolf.com/show/shots-fired/

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.

http://hiphop-n-more.com/2013/01/big-boi-pink-matter-remix/

and no matter many Dre guest spots that Big Boi jumps on, it won't make it an Outkast reunion :(

Not overly impressed.

http://www.rap-up.com/2013/01/13/new-music-ciara-wake-up-no-make-up-turn-up/#more-147158

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.

http://yellowmaskcxllective.bandcamp.com/album/black-jungle-radio

featuring joey badass and CJ fly

I really like this beat, nice old school low key vibe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdhX02OtlI4

http://www.2dopeboyz.com/2013/01/15/raekwon-lost-jewelry-freep/

The mediafire link seems to be broken, by the way.

Love the low end on this. Super chill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTqSwfvyP04

Uptown XO FLowers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdyADeTB178

That last tape he did was a fav of mine last year.

Will jump on board with this LP.

+ some new heat.

loving this new track from UK vet Ty, that beeeaaaaaaatt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G1vb5KuCp4&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCPim0oZpw8

*are back... Must get some sleep.

https://soundcloud.com/just-blaze/just-blaze-x-baauer-higher

FACT point out how similar it is to this TNGHT remix of Kanye though...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRk02IBD9mU

Seems a bit *too* similar really.

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.

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.

https://soundcloud.com/the-rap-up/pay-the-price-deltron-3030

...for how long I don't know.

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.

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".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cHuJ4HjYyc

lest we forget:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lm4GEO0FA4

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.

video was very strange indeed.

has to be one of the best wtf lines in rap history, right?

- meaning my mental state, still, I'm 5'8"..

Love the brief moments when Guru gets surreal.

http://www.spin.com/reviews/asap-rocky-long-live-asap-asap-worldwide-polo-grounds-rca

--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.

His flaws are what made him great imo.

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:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_nDzu0uMJw.

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.

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.

This is better than anything he's released 'properly'

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.

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho67uw3OMfE

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.

are getting more national buzz so late in their career.

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKQ8AfwBjBI

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.

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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wloix_Xn3jk

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.

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.

I missed this by a couple weeks, I was home around then :/

''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 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?

Never heard of this group.

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

but for, y'know, 'serious' clubs

and all but I still think he makes some enjoyable music.

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.

some good ones on the last tape. i love the right one and cool off.

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.

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXZ2whuVXLs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBQauU3CIe8

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...

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

http://www.datpiff.com/Gunplay-Cops-Robbers-mixtape.443827.html

new mixtape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbMPVO8XGrE

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

still madness tho

http://youtu.be/f0JcRGzCE50

Val Venis

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7xvwXl7x1CQ

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.

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.

Hopefully his album, 'Medellin', should be out by summer though (even allowing for inevitable delays)

King Louie is so far above his drill scene competition imo.

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.

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.

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.

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.

https://www.facebook.com/events/581359221877916/?fref=ts

Just TRY and keep me away from this.

Keef has a fully formed style as well, I just don't like it that much.

https://soundcloud.com/greenlabelsound/joey-bada-unorthodox

:(

Pretty much entirely produced by DJ Mustard. Some samples;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EykR201IxQc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCXu6wpSZ0g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mq0_0uS39g

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28i45ZJg3Fc

what the fuck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Otla5157c

:D

http://pitchfork.com/features/update/9047-danny-brown/

Pretty interesting read, it got me psyched to hear his new album. I like the sound of whatever direction he's going in.

off the most recent Tree mixtape I posted upthread. Fairly simple beat by his standards but it sounds great

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFiYlNb9p2Q

http://www61.zippyshare.com/v/26255151/file.html

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:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86od5vo5PXo

This is a new one from him 'Trillmatic' which I think will be on his album due in about a month:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIhEsICzUb4
<3 the beat switch up

Blockbeataz beats are still very juicy to me.

Havent listened yet but I know theres a ton of fans on here:
http://greenovamusic.bandcamp.com/album/road-to-playtime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLB3vfWDo5A

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.

very quickly.. pretty weak all round.

Agree though, the Joe Budden beef was way more entertaining

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99Ad9s6jOek

http://open.spotify.com/album/6auYBOJUqWpH8rbWCmmsUa

It's just what I want from Meek, punchy and aggressive and fresh-feeling.

Album is good though.

just heard him guesting. It's really tight.

Free and better than his new album.

He was on that P-Brothers album a while back. Worth a listen.

http://www.unkut.com/2013/01/download-samhill-the-preface-ep/

Rap for the 30+ set.

I think i kinda prefer this sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IpwGcGySW0
to this sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM_m8P08uUY

I was thinking you would like that Clear Soul Forces release from last year.
http://clearsoulforces.bandcamp.com/album/detroit-revolution-s

It's pretty interesting, the track featuring Action Bronson is a highlight.

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2auk9d7RhmyAoEpOG4kkJi

Heard a couple tracks and liked.

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.

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.

http://mellomusicgroup.bandcamp.com/album/in-case-i-dont-make-it

http://pstate.bandcamp.com/album/dark-city

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.

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.

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.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4_122Tx8xmg

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$$.
http://www.liveforthefunk.com/recent/post/100s-ice-cold-perm-mixtape/

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.

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.

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.

http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/19701/waka-flocka-flame-duflocka-rant-2.html

Been enjoying this the last couple of days. Definitely one of Waka's better tapes. His energy still amazes me.

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.

Marilyn Monroe is still in constant rotation for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BzOBxQjSLM

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.

Quite enjoying this tape.

http://hiphopwired.com/2012/01/03/timeless-truth-brugal-presidentes-ep-downloadlisten/

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.

http://vimeo.com/59303531

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.

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.

http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/20732/kevin-gates-the-luca-brasi-story.html

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.

Samples:

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

Last year too with both his releases.

including Leave it Alone. One of the emcees is super generic but the other one has some presence.

Chance the Rapper- Juice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8nIHZ-0kS4

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.

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lEKOWKcUxdU#!

What the hell is this I don't even...

Shoulda stopped about 5 years ago tbf

THAT HE RICHER THAN THOSE WHITE FOLK OR AT LEAST THAT WHAT HE SAY
THAT'S WHAT HE SAY THAT'S WHAT HE SAY
AND THEM PETTY NIGGAS LOVE IT
THINK ABOUT IT, WHAT'S A RAPPER STANDING NEXT TO WARREN BUFFET?
HA HA HA

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.

"Miss Mary, you got a hold on me, and it's scary"

Lolololololol.

He was good otherwise too. Apollo brown makes some generic post dilla beats.

lol Guilty. still like him though

in like 5 years time. even the video! yuck

He can be a bit earnest but I like him.

one of his verses on the new Gucci tape is hideous even by his recent standards.

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

single+album+tour
http://prettymuchamazing.com/news/tyler-the-creator-wolf-domo-23

http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/music/4425366

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.

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4146055-champion-sound-11--feat-exclusive-friendzone-mix

having a hard time really getting my heart into a rapper with such a boring name but the mixtape is undeniable.

<3

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.

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.

Anything new I will like?

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!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI1df8gTXPg
Free EP from
www.jackieonassis.net

I finally gave this a listen. That kid is magical.

http://soultemplemusic.bandcamp.com/track/the-rise-of-the-ghostface-killah

And I like it. A lot.

Sounds pretty standard fair GK to me, will reserve judgement for the full length.

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=T0hwo7Cc6Q8

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.

Weird, I kinda like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSCA-fqs5uU

thank you dude! weird is definitely the word. people tell me it's a 'grower'

http://www.barflyclub.com/camden/whatson/event/37230.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thfXBuippHU

Interesting retrospect on the hip hop hype man

http://dirtnap2.tumblr.com/post/43584093880/young-scooter-feat-gucci-mane-work-2013-zay

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.

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.

From the lyrics to the production, everything is just right as far as I'm concerned.

Thr33 Ringz was far superior to 808s & Heartbreak (and came out about 2 weeks before...)

might be my favourite Kanye album.

deal with my controversial opinions.

its easily his most consistent and easy to get thru, the rest of them seem chucked together like compilations to me.

That is not a compliment.

Deal with my controversial opinions.

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.

Jake One on the beat http://potholesinmyblog.com/chance-the-rapper-acid-rain-p-jake-one/

Quite a strong Kendrick vibe on this one.

http://alpokodon.bandcamp.com/album/the-ol-soul-ep

Will have a listen later.

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.

Gone Tomorow & Project Dreams

for a verse or so mind.

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWrHDKbmumU

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.

Kinda wish he wasn't such an average rapper something though ha.

https://twitter.com/PlayersBallUK/status/306672987371876352

Players Ball is an excellent night anyway, so this is a must.

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.

Young Jeezy ft. 2 Chainz - RIP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znN9xzdflD8

^^Jeezy on a DJ Mustard beat. Sounds good.

Young Dro - FDB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bqqqPsEGj6Y

^^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
http://tekhtogo.bandcamp.com/track/the-north

^^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
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAnWhrjt0iE

^^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
http://greenochapt2.bandcamp.com/track/where-she-at-prod-by-dylan

^^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.

http://potholesinmyblog.com/chance-the-rapper-kami-de-chukwu-vic-mensa-tokyo-shawn-caleb-james-seppuku/

Really promising stuff. Outside of the whole Drill/Keef/Young Chop thing, Chicago is pretty exciting to me at the moment

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLwbaqpNjqo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jykE8J9jtR8

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.

http://www.datpiff.com/Gucci-Mane-Young-Scooter-Free-Bricks-2-mixtape.460428.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIfQ2T7-FcA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yEQoplj5KU

Pretty damn solid.

Obv not as egregious as 'Drug Dat Hoe' but still disappointing.

This beat is cool, kinda playful but still comes off as melancholic somehow.

Jeezy should join forces with someone like that, get some slaps going, he needs a refresh.

I think there are way better songs than World Premier on it.

Canarsie High is my fav

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.

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.

https://soundcloud.com/lawless-inc/king-louie-old-bitch

Yep, and it still sounds alright.

https://soundcloud.com/xdannyxbrownx/hottestmc-produced-by-harry

Danny sounding pretty rugged here.

but he does sound good as always.

Sort of track that I can't imagine coming back to on its own, might work better on the album.

nowt that boring on XXX.

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"

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.

Was just going on the 'OLD Coming Soon' bit under the track.

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.

Still a good producer but his hit/miss rate is dropping imo

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 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.

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.

He's responsible for some of my fav stuff from the last couple years sooo... I'm just being hypercritical.

Ill check this mix

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.

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

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.

Digidesign
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f90E84rOzmc

Snake Eater
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RadZTuZEKlM

Re-Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eJTj-r99i0

Gully Brook Lane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1HnatIMFOs

Purple City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bIR_YmiuVw

Psychedelic Runway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cihJSDMF3zA

Stuck In The System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh_1NWbeA7Y

But his got this clunky dubstep pop thing going on for the most part now.

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.

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.

http://octobersveryown.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/drake-5am-in-toronto_7.html

This is more like it. Still, wouldn't be surprised if it's just an offcut.

http://www.datpiff.com/Bishop-Nehru-Nehruvia-mixtape.462365.html

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.

http://youtu.be/bcwScEB5ABU

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.

Have you heard either of the new OJ Da Juiceman tapes Jimi? Reckon you might dig them;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggtf_OiM954
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLTIa3dko5g

I'll give them a go cheers.

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.

http://vimeo.com/61243607

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.

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.

http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/20701/rome-fortune-beautiful-pimp.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnuYqS7Y1nc

Jeez

found it in a new Fact mag feature: http://www.factmag.com/2013/03/09/mixtape-round-up-gucci-mane-young-scooter-michael-5000-watts-and-more/

Taster

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.

I think his two releases from last year are even better.

never heard of him before, kinda refreshing he's called Kevin instead of Young Gooch Lil Spare Cups or something.

This ones an accuired taste I woudl have thought haha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6HmyPXgLg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkbDKAwXF3w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0yre6sk1Tg

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 let me down so many times that it makes me very skeptical, but I'll give er a go.

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.

but def go by your real name if all you can think of is lil or young or big or yeezy or whatever.

but when it works its really fun.

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.

come from nothing 2 was really good, way more good than bad.

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.

Took me a while to settle into it, but I really like it now.

Was wondering whether to bother checking out the whole thing but this just about persuaded me. Will delve into it this week.

https://soundcloud.com/azealia-banks/yung-rapunxel-prod-by-lil

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.

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.

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 like a pro wrestler heel shitting on all the babyfaces to get them over. haha

People (idiots) just go mad about her because good producers (also idiots I guess) give her tracks to ruin.

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.

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?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cthbL7j7ZZo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEcMg3m3g6c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwlyJ5MZYJM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yj53bxGXx0

http://denirofarrar.bandcamp.com/album/the-patriarch

Prob worth a look, the Deniro Farrar tape from last yeah with Shady Blaze was really damn good. This track, damn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ed4N9W1MDk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anRkutaPS9w

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.

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

Kinda basic beat and Tyler still has no clue how to make a memorable hook... but still a good track, Earl is good.

The G... The Growth & Development

Has some solid production, very full bass. None of it is on youtube except trillmatic i dont think.

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.

http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/21283/casino-ex-drug-dealer.html

so we'll have to see how it goes huh.

Wasn't really concentrating the first time around, but it sounded like the production took some unexpected turns.

Further to the one posted upthread, a couple more songs from the new Ghostface record have leaked recently.

http://soultemplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/twelve-reasons-to-die

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.

No?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zR6ROjoOX0&feature=youtu.be

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].

Mostly just in terms of mainstream/major label push.

are related to whether she can actually rap or not

I like Murda Bizness better.

https://soundcloud.com/the-dream/tron

I mean, it's not terrible, but the pitch-shifted vocals just don't work.

DL'd this last night. Gonna spin it now.

and keep on deluding ourselves that the new album is gonna be great when it finally appears.

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 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.

Yamaha through Abyss, though, damn. And the bonus track edition helps.

Was it FILA? that song is as dream-by-numbers you can get.

Wedding Crasher is the only song that I liked iirc.

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.

Th beat for Long Gone is really cool with the guitars and I love the chorus.

This is cool.

And that video....... woah.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL2txMU50CI

gonna have to get the album I think, I love the live instrumentation- pretty rough and ready, in the best way

but the verses are strong, and the "no money, no family" hook is pretty damn catchy

Excited to get through the rest. He is so ridiculous, so over the top, love it.

It's a good read.

http://www.egotripland.com/rap-generation-gap-j-zone/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnJIhso-ldI

http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/19784/king-louie-drilluminati.html

Just got a vid tho. Awsome tape, easy one of the best of recent times.

Kind of a toss up as to what was his best release from last year.

https://soundcloud.com/xdannyxbrownx/kush-coma-produced-by-skywlkr

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.

It's solid and he's got tracks that aint even on it that sound good still...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3dl_sBhN6Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5apLU45YQ4

thats more like it, last one I heard was arse.

http://vimeo.com/23661399

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.

play through. Kinda odd future light.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzYsE5_9aX4

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.

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 >>>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87nE6tPklPM

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?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EeGB69Blwc

Oxymoron is probably my most anticipated record this year.

MIght be good to do have Kyle do a mid-year rundown though.

Danny Brown is dope.

https://soundcloud.com/the-doppelgangaz/hark-back-1?in=the-doppelgangaz/sets/hark

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.

$75?? What a joker.

They're kinda like a (little bit) grittier version of People Under the Stairs or something.

http://youtu.be/uneDJkU_kWk

Real tear jerker from Shady Blaze damn.

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"

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."

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.

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.

Don't remember much about apart from a Lil B/Bitch Mob shout out. Wasn't a highlight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjmiLp47Yg8&list=UUeXp3EC97_rUl_e2vgM3gLg&index=2

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:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoWL9JkBhKA

great heads up

as well as Tree.

Getting hyped for this album/tape.

The guy just has a crazy flow, switches it up all the time. Cool beats too.

Juice (posted up there^ somewhere)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8nIHZ-0kS4

Acid Rain (think this is up there^ too)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN1aj_godWE

Brain Cells (off of #10Day, his mixtape, think there is a link in the description of the video below)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbq016ZOWYw

feels even more one note than usual

Was just refreshed to hear that it wasn't utter shit

:(

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.

cool guy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwbF1aASaDI&list=UUeXp3EC97_rUl_e2vgM3gLg

http://hardwoodblacktop.com/2012/05/14/earthtone-iii-a-hip-hop-production-retrospective/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8TXpoi-goE

I'm a sucker for old rappers over minimal slaps.

forzaborza complaining about middle class white guys listening to hiphop. :)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/gucci-mane-denied-bond_n_2971156.html

just as it was all going so well

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.

got it on the DL, youtubes of some of the tracks sounds alright like. A few might just be off the Future mixtape mind.

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.

but anyway, its good. And is getting a physical release.

Poor lad needs a break.

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?

https://soundcloud.com/macmediapromo/gotham-ox-city/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ROJKCwZsqg

http://www.zatoon.co/blog/music/kid-cudi-f-kendrick-lamar-solo-dolo-pt-2

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

but yeah, Killer Mike and EL-P record.

http://www.o2academybrixton.co.uk/event/16460/wu-tang-tickets

£45... seen them twice before... can't decide... argh.

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.

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.

caught them in the late 90s promoting the Forever album. odb included. Hungry and in their prime.

*humble brag*

http://www.npr.org/2013/04/08/176043665/first-listen-ghostface-killah-and-adrian-younge-twelve-reasons-to-die#playlist

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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTafhMaFw-M

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.

I don't mind it- it's just OTT EDM.

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.

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?

http://youtu.be/o7W_iWRxKG0

Still knocks doe

But overall, the album works. Have you heard the Apollo Brown remix version? Very eager to hear that.

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!)

http://www.getondown.com/album.php?id=16260

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'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.

...has been very good.

This version is better than the original one, IMO.

http://www.clashmusic.com/videos/ghostface-killah-apollo-brown-rise-of-the-black-suits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLZOrTwJpog

Jeremiah Jae has been a bit of an unsung hero for me this year. Two excellent projects from him.

if you have an hour

p1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICTJxJRDdS0
p2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl0RlMx7KDI
p3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxOY-aKTHuE

1) Great interview with Prime Minister Pete Nice.
http://oldtothenew.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/old-to-the-new-qa-prime-minister-pete-nice-part-one/

2) Is anyone going to see Big Daddy Kane this week?

http://soultemplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/twelve-reasons-to-die-the-brown-tape

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.

Cheers.

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;

http://www.earwolf.com/show/shots-fired/
http://stayhatin.com
http://www.bboxradio.com/fresh-out-the-box/
http://thecombatjackshow.com

Some variance in the quality of discussion there, but all feature good music at least.

combat jack once in a while.

I'll check for those others.

(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.

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.

p.s glad you're liking!

Listened to the tape once, not sure I'll listen again. He needs to expand his sound.

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.

It was ALL KINDS OF GREAT

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4146343-champion-sound-12--feat-southern-hospitalitys-first-quarter-future-jams-mix

Featuring a pretty great party rap mix from Southern Hospitality and a bunch of writing from me.

https://soundcloud.com/clammyclams/bookfiend-ft-doom

Not sure I'll ever get tired of Clams' sound. This is nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z2pP5y7TcI

Yacht Lash

Loving this... when that beat switches up when Riff Raff comes in, lose my shit every time. Really strong IMO.

http://www.datpiff.com/Chance-The-Rapper-Acid-Rap-mixtape.483826.html

Sounding pretty great on first listen.

Mostly because of the video with Hannibal Buress, which is basically like a hip-hop version of The Rock Show video.

excited for this

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.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/302065_367273303383676_582627586_n.jpg

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?!)

Maybe it'll be full of MCs from the Nidge...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xrRwFaWzVQ

lol

This looks like a convention for every UK rapper that's ever tried to sell me their mixtape outside a rap show.

It was.... alright.

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.

It's obvously ALL KINDS OF GREAT

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

http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/music/4429862

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DH6Uaeo7nk

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.

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/