Sweden’s Max I Million has cooked up a re-imagination of the Coalmine Records’ classic cut, “Perfect Timing,” featuring both C.L. Smooth and Skyzoo. DJ Devastate adds to the remix by scratching up the original chorus, in an ode to the craft. The beat is a good fusion of newer electronic production and classic hip-hop, and also features some Dr. Dre-type keys interspersed. Check it out below.
Brooklyn’s Saga has been a king of loosies of late. His latest standalone “Up” is a perfect rap track to transition from the depths of winter into warmer vibes. The warm, easy production is handled by France’s 20syl and is perfectly complimentary to the smooth flows of the rappers. Saga’s well-rounded attack features some really dope rhyme schemes and lyricism, and the song has a great structure. It’s a collaboration with noted emcee Blu, who along with a guest verse brings vocals to the chorus and throughout the song. Working with Blu and headed on a tour with Asher Roth soon, Saga is well on his come-up. Get your spring on and give it a listen. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/254754559″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
David Sanya and EhCee’s “Liquid Love” is a song that’s ready to be featured in a commercial. The track from the Toronto-based artists has that distinct sound to it, one that’d bring your attention to the tv to watch an outfit of ethnically diverse 20-somethings happily sipping on some Sprite. That’s a likely situation. EhCee’s fantastic pop-R&B chorus jumps out with every listen. Distinct and catchy; it’s nearly anthemic. David Sanya’s production plods and pops when needed, echoing melodies and providing some clever bubbling throughout. EhCee’s voice has a lot of single-power, and Sanya’s sphere of influence allows for him to create all sorts of future R&B sounds in his production. Listen to “Liquid Love” below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/253814417″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Buffalo producer YLXR has a million different sounds in his pocket. Drawing influence from ambient, electronic, hip hop and countless other genres of music, YLXR’s releases can be counted on to surprise you musically in the best way. Latest release “Stream” is another win for his track record. The front half of the track features fluttering with synths and plucked strings, punctuated with a sparse but thoughtful bottom half. In the manner of an emotional transition, sounds come and go. The sampled words “In a moment, everything can change,” are expertly reflected in the song, and after they drop the track gets a gust of air before exhaling in the outro. The track is a full experience start to finish, with the each sound thoughtfully included. Per usual with YLXR, it’s a must-listen. Stream “Stream” in the stream below.
Chill Ali remains a model of consistency within the Buffalo rap scene. Within the Rich Slave umbrella, Ali has been a beacon of consistently chill releases for the last couple of years. Much like in his previous work, “Paypa Thin” has the dichotomy of smooth music but striking lyricism. Extremely personal lines, like Ali’s relationship with his mother and their struggles in finding safe places to stay, can get lost with your natural inclination to bob your head to his music. “Paypa Thin” in particular has a great beat to get lost in, with vocals samples from the same world as Ty $’s latest work with Kanye appearing within the production. Always chill, but multifaceted at the same time, Ali has come through again with a nice track. Peep below.
Buffalo rapper and EKL associate Dr. Ooo is one of the city’s most refined wordsmiths. His lyrics and flow shine on in each track he releases, and when he’s having fun on a track the feeling is contagious. This is the case on “1050,” a remix of the 2001 Usher joint “U Don’t Have to Call.” 2001 was primetime for the Neptunes, but Pharrell and Chad Hugo’s work is timeless. The beat for “UDHTC” is just groovy and drum-heavy, setting up Dr. Ooo for a fun freestyle of sorts. Ooo tests out all sorts of flows while talking acidic fruits and high numbers. And he’s also juggling for most of the video. Entertaining, lighthearted, impressive and sexy, just the way Usher would want it. Watch below.
Buffalo rapper and Hooligang member Don Scuzz is a hard hitter. Best recognized by his gruff, intimidating flow and ability to rap the hell out of a chorus, Scuzz comes into the middle of February with another project under his belt. In Valentine’s Day spirit, Love and Let Die is a Scuzzian fusion of street sounds and lyrics with surprisingly great depth to them. Project highlight “50 Facts” stands as one the best tracks we’ve heard from the Don. Built off of a Zaytoven-esque descending piano, Don and guest Meechy El Camino stick to a melodic flow reminiscent of throwback stuff from Dipset and even French Montana’s non-mainstream work. Meechy asserts himself on the first half of the track, dropping a verse with some really great flow switches and all around solid lyricism. Whether he’s on “Genesee faded off Hennessy” or “pulling off in the Jag with the MTV hat to the[...]
Buffalo rapper Doc 0bvious comes from city supergroup Prime Example. The collective is known for crafting entire packages of soulful hip hop, stretching from production through to lyricism. 0bvious bleeds that same blood, and his solo debut Attention to Detail is a testament to the DNA that he and his crew stand by. 0bvious kicks off the project with “Plot Summary,” properly outlined in the opening line “The Doc’s here to put a boot in that ass.” Production throughout the project is handled by Prime Examples’ own Program, and on here he opts for a beat heavy on groovy bass. Doc continues his confident bars for the duration of the track, which gets a dope closing of Method Man sample cuts from DJ Optimus Prime. Though the meat of Doc’s game is his ability to drop bars, his songwriting shines on several tracks here. The album’s third track “Over There” values simplicity[...]
For being a relatively newer act, 200 Kids Outside have got their formula nailed down. It’s not a conventional one either. Across three projects dating back to last spring, the duo of producer Minel and vocalist Neetchy have been making music drawing from influences in alt-hip hop, southern trap and R&B, and have owned it the whole way. Minel’s been a maestro on the boards providing crisp production of varying styles for Neetchy’s signature melodic vocals which float between singing and rapping. YA’LL Need a Drink is a great seven-song taste of what the duo have been working on since last August’s AutoPilot. Album opener “WiFi” sonically is a quintessential 200 Kids song. Minel takes no time getting into his vault of swirling synths and melancholic keys, and Neetchy’s layered vocals serve as the opening bell that their project is here. “I don’t wanna cry, but the water clears my eyes,” sings Neetchy, taking[...]
Buffalo hip hop mainstay Short Moscato started off the New Year strong with four new quick-hitters in the month of January. Moscato dropped the 13 song Whatever/Forever project in the last quarter of 2015, an album filled with great tracks from he and his talented friends in the scene. This year’s loosies work off of the Short Moscato blueprint: a hard flow, personal lyrics, and beats of all sorts. The string was lead by “Turquoise,” an ethereal track with a heavy psilocybin influence. In between moments of reflection and revelation, Moscato cuts through with refreshing poignancy, as seen in the line “a Dutch should never ever cost more than $1.50.” Much of the track stays true to the titular theme though, as Moscato questions his need and habit and is guided by a narrator suggesting the use of turquoise as relief. Moscato goes on to appear on the Lucky Seven track “Netlfix &[...]
1996 of Buffalo’s Valor Club released “Activist,” the second installment in a weekly series called “Immaculate Monday.” Last week saw the rapper drop the soulful, electric “Regal Adonis”, and this week the beat mellows out but 1996 stays charismatic. Built around a muted horn instrumental courtesy of producer Sigma, the beat is a great base for 1996 to mix his flow up. 6’s delivery is intentionally erratic, filled with fluctuations that play off the beat. When the bass pounds, his voice goes up and the hype builds and builds. 1996 does a great job on this song sticking with flow themes, like in the first verse when he rolls through “a” and “b” sounds with some nice controlled assonance. Lyrically, 6 talks of drugs and his reasons for them on lines like “Everything I do, just reflections of the ‘endo, where I’m hoping for the end-o cause the darkness is surrounding[...]
Buffalo rap posse MileHighMuzik is a frequent feature for for the blog, namely because of their quality output combined with a seemingly never-ending stream of releases. Last December, they released a new track every day of the month, calling it Juugcember, and did the same thing this past summer in Juugly. Heavily contributing to the group’s success is leading rapper/producer M-A, the recent releaser of solo mixtape Feel Trip. The tape fins M-A working with members of his crew, but also take the experimental path that can only come with an independent mindset. The album kicks off the with the “Feel Trip Intro,” a melodic trap ballad of careful production and echoic singing vocals. The track is in the same vein as a Travis $cott song, but is brighter and perhaps with more substance, as M-A calls for his girl to stay with him as he falls. Its evolving construction is greater than that of[...]
Don Scuzz has a penchant for aggressive rhymes to compliment his gruff vocal delivery. This remains the case for the Buffalo rapper on the track “Already,” which comes with a new video this week. Scuzz holds nothing back as he kicks off the song its rapid chorus rapping “I ain’t even made it and they wanna do me dirty already, I ain’t gotta say it,if you in the city then I’m just guessing that you heard me already.” The Hooligan Records rapper couples his confident statements with some pretty provoking lyrical content, particularly when Scuzz relays “I’ve just seen my little brother going off the deep end and I don’t know if I’m the solution to the problem or the reason.” Scuzz interchanges his impressive verses with two from the 17-year-old Tech’o, who has some pretty great bars of his own. Standout line “I remember running ’round playing ‘Duck, Duck,[...]
Eight months after the release of the original Dean’s List, Buffalo rapper Dean Chatham is back with the follow up record, Dean’s List 2: The Aftermath. The project is the first from the Black Sol member since he signed with Style Music Productions, and demonstrates the progression of Chatham as an artist over the last year. Chatham kicks off his scholastic follow up with the smooth opener “Kage,” in which the rapper projects his pride for the rise he’s seen as an artist recently. The original Dean’s List came when Chatham viewed himself as a student, while this project sees a more confident rapper showing off what he’s learned as he’s found his style. This theme of self -discovery and development continues on tracks like “Lucid Dreams,” where Chatham explores his introspective side. “Black Panda” is another substantive track in which Chatham discusses the positive state he’s currently in and how it relates with a darkened[...]
Buffalo rapper ASlaveNamedDot (of Rich Slave) is continuing his string of dope singles with his newest video for “Outta State,” his final video of 2015. It’s been a busy year for Dot and the Rich Slave crew, one in which he dropped no less than six videos as well as the August project Slave Talk. “Outta State” is a feel good track hip hop track in the broadest terms. Playfully braggadocious and heavy on “ayy” ad-libs, “Outta State” is another charming song from Dot. His bars touch on Flava Flav watches, curvy girls, and second place bitches as the trumpet loops in and out on some chill, jazzy production. The video is shot by another rising Buffalo rapper in Don Scuzz. Give it a watch below and stay tuned for more from Dot in the future.