Latest Posts

Decide – “The Powerless”

August 25, 2016

Demonstrated by the strength of the ironically powerful lead single “The Powerless,” rapper Decide‘s Struggle Inside EP is a motivating, empowering hip hop project. The five-track prepper focuses on day-to-day struggles we face, from struggles with work, to relationship woes, finally settling on closer “The Powerless.” Decide holds no punches as he calls for people to get off their asses and chase what they want. It begins with the line “Imagine me doing nothing just sitting around, looking at wall trying to figure something out.” He remains direct with his bars, and isn’t a fan of feeling sorry for one’s self. Production on the EP is varied, courtesy of the beatmaker Anno Domini Nation. “Rap Shit” has the bombastic thumps and charming piano keys of a Dr. Dre song. “Illusion of Choice” is both cloudy and epic. But “The Powerless” is classic hip hop. Chopped up vocal samples comprise the main[...]

TruthCity – “Changes”

August 17, 2016

Virginia transplant TruthCity has a story to tell. In his single “Changes” the rapper lays out the path he continues to trek to accomplish what he wants to in the industry. The struggles of a musician aren’t necessarily mysterious, but TruthCity makes you feel his words. It kicks off right away when he refers to his rhymes as “couch raps,” an acknowledgement of all the places he’s floated since his arrival in NYC. He recounts moments of self-doubt and frustration with gripping words and phenomenal flow. The uneasiness still follows TruthCity, but as the cliche goes, it’s about the journey, not the destination. “If I make it out, I’ll tell my story, of how tragedy can become glory.” Watch and listen below.

Napoleon Da Legend – “Sacrifice”

July 27, 2016

Brooklyn’s Napoleon Da Legend has a captivating sense of power in his voice. With a profound flow, Napoleon takes on the timeless beat from J. Dilla’s “Last Donut of the Night” on his single “Sacrifice.”   Napoleon’s subject matter comes from someone with enough success to be a force, but with a lot left to chase. The hunger is heard in “Sacrifice’s” outstanding chorus; “I will never stop until you’re mentioning my name with the best.” Rapped hooks are awesome when done right. “Sacrifice” debuted through All Def Digital. Napoleon’s Steal this Mixtape project can be listened to in full here, and features most classic beats from the likes of El-P, Madlib, the RZA and more. Give “Sacrifice” the listen below.

Relself – “Playin Catch-Up”

July 20, 2016

One listen to “Playin Catch-Up” by rapper Relself makes two things very clear: 1. He likes Adult Swim, and 2. He’s a fan of tongue-twisters. “Catch-Up’s” beat is an Adult Swim bump, one of the quick musical pieces that plays between shows. On the lyrical side of things, Relself’s lines are a slalom of syllables, immediately kicked off by the opening “Back to rappin lip be flapping wreaking havoc so, ya passive napping hazard havin asses fabric fold.” And the assault continues for the entirety of the two and a half minute track. Madlib and Rick and Morty fans will both be pleased, listen below.

Novi Nov – “Thinkin’ Bout Ya”

June 1, 2016

Pop-rap, or rap produced with commercial intent is a relatively polarizing genre. Everybody has heard a joke about Pitbull or Flo Rida sucking (even though “My House” bangs). In that same vein though, it’s hard to ignore the catchiness and charisma that an artist like Fetty Wap carries with him on all those singles. Pittsburgh rapper Novi Nov comes from the world of one of the most commercially successful rappers of the last few years in Wiz Khalifa. Though he hasn’t reached that status, he’s churning out some simple, enjoyable rap tracks with memorable, sing-songy choruses to plant into listeners’ heads. His latest single “Thinkin’ Bout Ya” describes a lady who won’t escape Novi’s thoughts. The chorus is a ton of fun and Novi doesn’t hold back on verses, switching between rapid and melodic flows. Light-hearted, commercial music is often the most fun, and that’s what Novi goes for and[...]

Tonight: Buffalo Rap Round Robin

April 16, 2015

What began as an annual Baltimore tradition has made its way to Buffalo, where three local acts meet three touring acts for a nonstop rap action in an innovative presentation of music. The Gypsy Parlor hosts tonight’s event, which begins at 9pm. The aim of the Rap Round Robin is to eliminate the “dead air and general lameness” of rap shows by creating an environment where there is continuous music throughout the show. Three stages are set up, and each act performs a single track before passing the mic to the next group. The audience is literally surrounded by music, and with three local favorites representing, this is a can’t miss show for hip hop heads. Jack Topht & Little Cake will take a stage tonight, along with Dr. Ooo, and Short Moscato. The touring acts for the tour are Passalacqua, Height Keech, and Eze Jackson, along with special guest PT[...]

Mario Bee and Mike Gerbino Announce Point of No Concern EP

April 14, 2015

Two former Rochester-based artists, DJ Mario Bee and rapper Mike Gerbino, are set to release their debut collaborative EP, Point of No Concern on April 20th. Featuring an assortment of hip-hop, electronic, and grime beats, the five-track record abrasively touches on subjects like the middle-east, prostitution, global warming, and Facebook. Well known for his work on HBO’s Brave New Voices poetry special, Gerbino is an accomplished spoken work artist in addition to his hip hop endeavors, while Mario Bee began his career DJing and producing in both Rochester and Buffalo before moving to New York City where he now gigs frequently throughout the city and the East Coast. The pair are also having a release party for the EP this Saturday at Leftfield Bar in New York if you find yourself in the area Check out the project’s first single, “Eliot Spizter,” below.

EdWang and Mad Dukez Link Up for MadWang

March 18, 2015

Buffalo producer EdWang has a knack for remixing songs, giving them vibrant, weird beats. Mad Dukez is one of Buffalo’s premier MCs, and has a CMJ chart topping album to his name. 2013’s Gettin’ Gatsby was a critically acclaimed collaboration between Dukez and Toronto beatsmith Fresh Kils. EdWang has taken to reinventing some of the album’s songs, along with a couple of the duos tracks from The Open Affair EP in a new EP with Mad Dukez, with the DOOM-esque blended name MadWang. One of the two Open Affair tracks on the project, “World Wide” features a delicious beat of trap sounds and video game blips and bloops. “Rearview Reminders,” an inspiring track appreciating the path you’ve taken, features Rhymesayers artist Blueprint. On Gatsby, the beat was a mellower one, built around some humanized drums. EdWang takes his version in the opposite direction, making his beat heavy on robotic synths. The newly imagined track has a[...]

Chauncey Tails Releases New Beat Collection

February 25, 2015

Gowanda producer Chauncey Tails has become known for his typically brief tracks that feature pitch-shifted vocals and hip hop samples alongside whimsical, lush sounds that create a smooth feel that often ranges from melancholy and introspective to soulful, club-inspired beats. The artist’s latest release, Collection IV, compiles nine tracks made over the last year and provides a comprehensive look at the sound he’s been able to cultivate in that time, with engaging vocal chops, recognizable samples, and visceral percussion and bass. Leading off with, “Only You,” a bouncing, bass-heavy cut, the collection opens with high-energy, ethereal beats before leading into the more melancholy progression on the aptly titled “I Feel Like Nothing But You Are Everything.” “Squirt” features uplifting piano stabs and various warm sounds reminiscent of Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth’s tracks.Perhaps the most impressive drums and bass sounds are found on “Young Drop Top Lexus” that places a fiery hip hop[...]

Edwang and Duce return with some Gold

October 10, 2014

Buffalo producer Edwang is back with another dope collaborative effort with rapper Duce. A few months back, we covered The Duce Bootlegs, a wonderfully enjoyable project of happy hip hop. Their latest release together, Fifty Shades of Gold, switches things up a bit on the way to being another great tape.  Edwang kicks off the tracks with the title track, and a distinctly grimier beat than anything we heard last time ’round. Ed continuously keeps us guessing with his styles behind the beats. “Rumble Pack III” uses some traditional video game bleeps and bloops to create a base for which Duce to cram countless gaming references over a span of three and a half references. The name itself is a shout-out to the device that allowed your N64 controller to vibrate whenever you crashed in Tony Hawk Pro Skater, thereby making the game 20% better than it already was. Duce is particularly on[...]

Vince Staples – Hell Can Wait

October 8, 2014

One thing that can be said about Los Angeles rapper, Vince Staples, for certain is that he does not have a bad verse to his name. Although he is a friend to the Odd Future crew, musically he couldn’t be more different. The 21-year-old has the soul of one of his West Coast gangsta-rap forefathers, notably rapping last year on Earl Sweatshirt’s “Hive” “If this was ’88 I would’ve signed to Ruthless, ‘9-4 woulda had me walking down Death Row,” a nod to some of the most famous, dark labels in hip hop history. Whether it was on either of his Shyne Coldchain mixtapes or last year’s Stolen Youth, a collaboration with Mac Miller’s production pseudonym Larry Fisherman, Staples has consistently brought introspective gangsta rap to his bars. Hell Can Wait continues this style, and this EP is a strong prelude to the debut album that Staples says is coming next year. Buzz for[...]

Local Rapper ChaunSAY Mackin’ Drops Second Project with Chisom Uzosike

September 17, 2014

On the Buffalo Brave LP, ChaunSAY Mackin’ and Chisom Ozosike’s second take on a hip hop duo, the Buffalo rapper and Maryland producer (who previously released The Buffalo Bill EP together) are a fantastic combination of modern bar-rap and smooth soul sample beats. Opening track, “The Encore,” kicks off with a blast of horns that sound like they came right off a Village People record. The beat flips around for a while before it settles on a guitar strum and a funky bassline, working off of the same sample as this BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher. Throw little “Numbers on the Board-esque” celebratory “Yeah” vocal and a high pitched female note, and you got yourself a hell of a beat over which Mackin’ dances entertaining lines all over. Second track “Reputation” plays off of the same sample as Kanye’s “Bound 2,”  a seemingly daunting task considering the recognition of the latter. Chisom[...]

Maurice – “Wxcked Girls”

August 27, 2014

RnB’s newest face comes from Ottawa, Canada. Emerging onto the music scene with a popular YouTube channel of covers, Maurice has the talent to be considered contemporaries with the likes of Frank Ocean, James Fauntleroy, and the rest of the biggest names in the genre. “Wxcked Girls” is one of three new tracks released by the 17 year old in conjunction with a feature on Noisey. On the track, Maurice alternates between pure singing and a hybrid rap with veteran skill, evidence of the artist’s original dream of becoming a rapper. It’s also revealed in the article that Maurice is a high school football player that fits his basement-studio recordings in between practice, school, and homework.  Without the music even being Maurices’s sole venture, the product is already there. Take this as an introduction to a young artist already ahead of the curve.

The Importance of Young Thug’s TV Debut

August 8, 2014

Last night on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, we saw perhaps the most meaningful performance in recent rap history, as it was the coming out party for a certain Thug. Young Thug has been making waves with some of the best party songs of the last two years, as well as being the new go-to hook man in the scene. So what makes this artist’s appearance particularly interesting? Well, we might end up looking at him as a trailblazer. Kanye was weird when he was wearing pink polos and backpacks in the early to mid 2000s. He was stylistically a standout, the first mainstream rapper in forever with the preppy, intentionally not-gangster image. It would mark a shift in what was popular in rap, a move towards non-violence, humor, fashion, and so much more. He first appeared on the Dave Chapelle Show alongside Common, and has never left publicity since then.[...]

Tonight: RADARADA

July 29, 2014

Combining jazzy live instrumentation with dexterous, melodic lyricism, Buffalo hip hop outfit RADARADA have quickly caught on as one of the most intriguing new groups to emerge locally as of late. Their excellent debut, First Edition, received album of the week honors here at buffaBLOG and was a soulful, welcome addition to the already eclectic local hip hop scene that boasts a healthy mix of veteran talent and hungry newcomers.  Tonight, the band brings their impressive live chops to McGarret’s on Elmwood for a show following the Bidwell Concert Series beginning at 9pm. Admission is $3 at the door. 21+.