Hidden Gems (September 2014)
Theophilus London is really stepping up his game. Kanye is lends a helping hand on this one, which is never a bad thing. On Do Girls Theo spits a few verses about the frisky lady types…
Fool’s Gold co-founder Nick Catchdubs is prepping the release of his debut album and got Bronx rebels B.I.C. on his new single, Wuts That. Nick’s Smoke Machine album is due out January 2015.
Brand new heat from the NICE UP!/Fashion Records collaboration – this time remix king Jstar steps up to the desk for a deep digital take on the classic Bunny General Mek Them Rock!
Prince’s Purple Rain gets the reggae treatment. 2014 marks the 30-year anniversary of Prince’s Purple Rain, one of the most influential albums of all time. To celebrate this milestone, Radio Riddler has announced their debut album, Purple Reggae, out October 28, 2014 on MITA Records. The tribute album takes Radio Riddler’s unique style and pairs it with legendary vocalists including Sinead O’ Connor, UB40’s Ali Campbell, Citizen Cope, Beverly Knight, and more.
Joining an esteemed class that includes Madlib and Danger Mouse, New York’s own Bishop Nehru is the latest talent to lure DOOM out of obscurity for a full-length collaboration. With the aptly titled project, NehruvianDOOM, set to impact next month, the pair share a third and final sample with the nostalgic-sounding “Caskets.” Their LP hits stores October 6 via Lex Records/Noizy Cricket. Where’s Madvillain 2 tho?!?
Fuck the law they can eat my dick, that’s word to Pimp – El-P and Killer Mike are back in full force! RTJ2 is dropping October 27.
Black Milk got busy this month. First he released the latest track of his If There’s Hell Below with Bun B which is on his album, coming out October 28. Then he went live on Boiler Room London, where the Detroit rapper-producer used his laptop and sampler to deliver and hour’s worth of tunes.
Talking about getting busy… Raekwon dropped a bunch of remakes in his Throwback Thursday series. At the end of this amazing amount of remakes, there’s going to be a mixtape of the series!
Another fresh tune from Blockhead – looking forward to independently released full-length album Bells and Whistles on Nov. 21. For now check out On The Back Of A Golden Dolphin.
Thru You Too is the long awaited follow up for Kutiman‘s Thru You – his revolutionary online project made out of dozens of unrelated YouTube video of musicians. The complete Thru You Too project will be launched at the beginning of October.
Brooklyn-based producer Willie Green dropped the latest in a long line of instrumental projects. In the same vein as 2009’s “…Of Heroes and Villains,” “Rebel Queen” tells a story through beats and samples; this time a rebel leader’s struggle against a tyrant…
Remember Mad Skillz? He’s prepping an upcoming project with producer Bink and starts rolling out their promo campaign.
Diamond District premiered their second single Lost Cause from the groups upcoming album March On Washington. The track is produced by rising star Oddisee and features the trio rhyming some of their most impassioned bars to date. Cop March On Washington over at iTunes, on CD or even better on 2xLP!
Uni-V-Sol’s Sushi is all about raw cold bars – a song made by MCs for MCs. Nottz on the production!
Is This Art? is the highly anticipated debut mixtape from 19-year-old emcee Michael Christmas. The Boston native delivered videos for the project’s first two singles – “Daily” and “Michael Cera” – in late 2013, and the momentum hasn’t slowed down since.
One can trace the roots of their destiny by the roads they have traveled. In the case of Morgan Grist Aka Snipes SNI, The Jamaican/Native Indian wordsmith sharpened his wordplay on the streets of Toronto and it’s neighboring towns of Missisauga and Malton. Having been exposed to the worlds trials and tribulations at the young age of 14, his first hand account of the ills that plague the streets helped shaped the verbal venom he would soon unleash on the world.
20 years ago today The Notorious B.I.G. released one of hip-hop’s most celebrated albums to date. Even with the grisly title, fans from all over the world flocked to Ready to Die. Biggie’s lyrics on this LP made you feel you like were standing right next to B.I.G. on St. James, slangin’ crills. In his honor, DJ Mister Cee and Funk Flex put together an incredible mix of B.I.G. classics, rare songs, interviews, mixtape cuts and more.
We’ve featured Kentucky based MC Allen Poe a few times before. His newest released Old Street, on a simple level is a personal recounting of life after moving away from the street I grew up on, leaving behind childhood friends. On a deeper level it really is about the constant transitions we go through in life. Leeds, UK soulstress Emma Shaheen provides vocals and Jaze Baqti did the production.
Meet “Vinnie & Kelly”, the new EP from HADE + DWFL. The two dope boys got their double cups filled with footwork, R&B, Cologne garage and a remix by Lockah. The record comes with a beautiful silkscreened sleeve, designed by Hade.
Remember your first heartbreak? Loveskills does — and he’s incapsulated it in this deliciously lo-fi synth cover of Smashing Pumpkins’ “Luna.” Loveskills’ new album Pure Loveskills is out Nov 4.
7evenThirty’s “The Problem” was written prior to Ferguson and edited during the peak of protests in Missouri. It features a DJ Shadow-esque beat and speaks from the heart about the continuing problem facing us. Sadly, it’s not just about Ferguson, it’s about what is going on every single day across the country and has been since the beginning. It is about how everyone in these communities is affected and what is does to us all mentally.
FloFilz’s solo debut “Metronom” is now available on LP, Tape and digital. Here’s the second video Rooftops (feat. 12Vince), shot in Paris by Robert Winter.
London-based rapper/producer Parallax dropped his new track Strength:
