Latest Posts

Motiks – “House Of Mirrors”

July 26, 2023

Somewhere in the up & coming hip/hop scene in Buffalo, a voice can be heard with sounds of clarity – it comes from Motiks on his latest single, “House Of Mirrors.” The track starts out with Motiks speaking to his fans in the form of placing yourself in a haunted house and hearing somebody talk to you through the speakers but you don’t actually know where they are. The voice effect that resembles this sound is a very good technique for Motiks to grab his fans’ attention right away when they first listen to the track as he says, “I would like to welcome you to the house of mirrors, what you see might not be what you were expecting, we worked hard to get you here…” Telling his fans that he’s grown within his music capabilities and they’re not ready for what’s next to come from the young talented[...]

Prímera División – El Sonido de Prímera División

April 26, 2021

Hunger Artist and Covito, two of Buffalo hip hop’s most versatile producers have teamed up to keep the city’s current cultural dominance in the forefront with international beats and vibes under the code name Prímera División, and El Sonido de Prímera División  is their debut manifesto. Projected through the prism of the global obsession that is football (soccer) and the gritty and hazy ear candy that’s  an essential component of  Buffalo’s Hip Hop sound, the remixes and sonic collages of El Sonido de Prímera División showcase the inescapable fact that the Queen City’s hip hop scene is the spiritual and aesthetic inheritors of all things East Coast. Following in the footsteps of sonic pioneers like The Bomb Squad, DJ Premier, and The RZA, Primera Division creates intricate Walls of Sound for each cut to get all the way in your ears, with layers of esoteric samples and psychedelic frequencies designed[...]

way2wavybaby & chango4 Break on Thru to Planet 9

July 20, 2020

Right in time for the most catawampus Fourth of July in American history probably since the original and our ongoing Coronavirus summer, Buffalo’s hip hop scene delivered not one but two vital albums for our long, hot summer, Westside Gunn’s latest, which we’ll leave to Pitchfork now that the Grizelda crew has gone supernova; and Planet 9, a  gloriously shiny and irresistible collaboration featuring emcees way2wavybaby and Chango4 that’s chilled out yet laser sharp, and a very encouraging glimpse of the future. If it feels like the ground is moving beneath  our feet that’s because it is, and way2wavybaby and Chango4 are part of this seismic shift. You love to see it: artists explicitly breaking down the exclusionary and oppressive limitations of old paradigms to get and be free, and the aspirational, DGAF lyrics and hypnotic grooves of Planet 9 feels like a welcome manifestation of this phenomena. Gen Z emcees like way2wavybaby and[...]

Short Moscato Lets Production Hands Shine on New Beat Tape

March 6, 2020

The grind doesn’t stop with Buffalo hip hop artist Short Moscato; The rapper, producer and frequent collaborator is back with a new project in Slow Drifting Home that focuses on his skills behind the boards and ear for dreamy sounds. A member of 14 Trapdoors, Moscato is a scene mainstay relentless with his releases. His latest drop in his prolific output is a 10-track instrumental project with a familiar ambient feel. Album opener “Reincarnation” is build around Kid Cudi’s moans from Kids See Ghost’s “Reborn,” accentuated with some head nodding bass drum. Moscato again flips a recognizable loop of Grimes’ iconic “Genesis” with a mesmerizing boom boom clap. Other highlights include the cinematic ambient soundscape of “redhead gurl” and the bright keys of aptly titled “weed beat.” Take a listen below and see another side of the scene leader.

Cee Gee Produces Western NY Hip Hop Collaboration Album

February 4, 2020

Buffalo hip hop producer Cee Gee (Columbus Green) connects with a who’s who of rhymesayers from 716 and beyond for his latest release, album Classical Gifted. The noted cratedigger dug deep into his bag for creative samples and molded it all into sonic undertones ranging from elegant to gritty depending on each track’s vision, creating a uniquely Western NY experience. Classical Gifted succeeds in being a traditional NY hip hop album, with menacing beats built for cyphers and freestyles. Packed with references to Western NY elements including Spectrum news, garbage plates, the Great Lakes and more, Cee Gee’s constructed a showcase of what hip hop can sound like in our region. His production rides the influence of sample-flipping legends like Madlib and Havoc of Mobb Deep, Gee’s beats are understated at times but steadfast in their deliberation. Cee Gee‘s production project is aided by ‘stories,’ the vocal contributions headlined by some of[...]

Tonight: 14 Trapdoors

January 23, 2020

It’s Hip Hop Night at Nietzsche’s  and Buffalo’s whose who of hip hop heads are taking the stage in droves. The new trap boom bap trio 14 Trapdoors, made up of scene mainstays WZA, Short Moscato and Bendyface, are set to perform among a loaded group of city friends contemporaries. Each member’s been making waves throughout the years through their solo projects and collaborative efforts, with biting lyrics and creative song construction remaining themes that crossed through their work. Others appearing from the crew include rapper Dripstarr, Nightmall, CHANGO4, Skate Cobain, Vaporwave, WAY2WAVYBABY, and video authority Be_Daylight. Doors open up at 8pm – $5 to get in said doors. Check out the video for “Pocket Protector” by 14 Trapdoors below. Guest appearance from Nick Cage post-National Treasure 3 announcement was a big get.

denzelworldpeace Releases New Single “Body Pillow”

December 20, 2019

Buffalo beat maker Denzel World Peace joins the lo-fi hip hop ranks with their latest release, “Body Pillow.” The mellow, soft snare-driven track is the centerpiece for Denzel’s latest release, Body Pillow EP. Denzel’s production transports you to the high seas, as seagulls caw and waves rush before settling into “chill beats you can study to” vibes. “Body Pillow” gets a siren-like vocal assist from Leeks, serenading in the upper register while  Denzel perfects the isolating full-body aesthetic down below. Slot this track right into your relaxing, lo-fi playlist. Give the track a listen here: Body Pillow EP by denzelworldpeace

Rap & Destroy Return With “Act Like UGAF”

May 31, 2017

Buffalo hip hop punk crew Rap & Destroy follow up their debut singe “R Kelly’s heel” with an even clearer declaration of intent and sonic manifesto in the form of their latest cut, “Act Like UGAF.” A spicy sneak preview of their forthcoming debut LP R.A.D AdVICE due next week, “Act Like UGAF” is raw, insurgent, and solid for turning things up at the party thanks to it’s powerful collective presence and thoroughly blunted 90’s hip hop sound.

Short Moscato – “Whisper (Disappear)”

February 21, 2017

Buffalo rapper Short Moscato is a proven wordsmith that also comes through with thematic songs and projects on the regular. His latest track “Whisper” discusses his methods of escape from his insecurities and beyond. The voice of John Lennon talks of the transcendental powers of meditation, and Moscato follows him up by delving into his own explorations. He delivers just one titular verse, allowing for Lennon and medasin’s production to frame his messages. Medasin’s light-yet-abrasive outro captures the flux of Moscato’s deliverance, and wraps up a tight track. “Whisper” is the first single off of Moscato’s commercial debut The Colour of Air, due out March 17th.

Rap & Destroy Drop Video For “R. Kelly’s Heel”

February 15, 2017

Buffalo’s got a new crew exploring the frontiers of hip hop and punk by the name of Rap & Destroy and they’ve dropped a video for their jam “R. Kelly’s Heel” that could be a game changer. Uniting local MC’s Tr38cho, Ideal, OLMEC, and MC/producer sparKmatiK, Rap & Destroy has both flow and grit, and an understated flavor that brings the big beats along with sweet lo-fi grooviness in manner reminiscent of the late 80’s and early 90’s… halcyon days when skatepunks skated to punk and hip hop.  There’s a full length debut LP on the way from Dead Trash Mob Records so stay tuned for more from these cats, and in the meantime enjoy this suitably gritty video for “R. Kelly’s Heel.”

200 Kids Outside Drop Off Neetchy’s The Old Me

June 30, 2016

200 Kids Outside is one of the most interesting rap acts in Buffalo. The duo usually features Neetchy on the mic with Minel covering production, though on this tape much of the production is handled by Neetchy. Neetch is a melodic rapper, at times straight singing, with lyrics that ride from tongue-in-cheek to romantic, stopping in many places in between. The group last hit us in the winter with Y’all Need a Drink, and kicked off the summer with Neetchy’s mixtape The Old Me. The Old Me is in primarily Neetchy’s work, though Minel does production and mixing on a handful of tracks. It kicks off with “Did You Wrong,” a pretty awesome Minel production. The wonky accordion beat is perfectly offset by the smoothness of Neetchy’s vocals. His subject matter on a lot of tracks is heavily influenced by love, as is the case here. The iconic “It’s Neetchy” ad-lib is nice to[...]

Bill $aber’s Creative Trap Sound Shines on Newest Project

June 22, 2016

Erie County rapper Bill $aber kicks off his latest project with a chorus of “If I fuck your bitch, my n***a do not get to stressing.” Its bold, nonchalant nature relays the confidence of the man behind the mic. On I.P.I.C $aber is a junkyard dog, dropping intense, aggressive floetry in a calculated manner. Opening track “Kum and Go” sets the standard, but the blueprint for $aber’s sound seems to happen on “You Talk it I Live it.” Atdenn’s sparse production leaves clean space for head nods and for $aber to preach his gospel of weird raunchiness, evidenced on lines like”If I don’t fuck she gonna pout.” Atdenn and Boyfriend make appearances on several cuts on here too and work right in with the aesthetic. The $aber crew are a raunchy, odd outfit perfectly comfortable saying exactly what they want. Playful keys are building blocks for a ton of these beats (“Homicide $aber[...]

Chill Ali Drops “Paypa Thin” Video

March 4, 2016

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.

Dr. Ooo Remixes Usher and Pharrell for “1050”

February 24, 2016

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.

Don Scuzz Hits on Love and Let Die

February 18, 2016

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[...]