Latest Posts

Hip Hop’s Winners and Losers in 2014

December 23, 2014

With most of hip hop’s biggest names staying relatively quiet this year, there was a lot of room for new players in the game to surface. In the absence of projects from Kanye, Frank, Kendrick, we have to pay attention to more people. For some artists, this is great news, as they gain notoriety and stay in our conscience for the whole year. For others, no bigs in the picture means they become the ones scrutinized. Not everyone can win, not everyone can lose, and not everyone can do just one of those. So here are ten of my picks for winners and losers and winner/losers in the wonderful year of 2014. Winner/MVP – Young Thug It really was the year of Thugger. At the top of the year, solo hits like “Stoner” and “Danny Glover” had Young Thug on the cusp of the mainstream, but his stampede to the top was[...]

Noisey’s “The Rap Monument”

December 19, 2014

After many months of anticipation, one of the most exciting and ambitious rap projects of the year is here. “The Rap Monument,” headed by prodo-wizard Hudson Mohawke and his team, and in conjunction with Noisey and Hennessy, is a 42 minute rap song featuring a slew of 30 rappers. Hennessy’s inclusion is important because you see it about every ten frames, but oh well, it’s liquid gold. This track has something for everyone. HudMo crafted a bombastic, horn-heavy beat that’s emulative of his style in the best way.  He switches it up along the way as to not let it get tiring while everyone gets their shot at delivering the best verse. If you’re looking to listen to a radio giant, Young Thug has his own mini-song in the middle of the track. Industry names like Danny Brown, Pusha T, Killer Mike, and YG have a some great verses. New[...]

Donny Murakami Premieres First Track Off Debut Project

December 17, 2014

Everyone has had a moment where they wish they were someone else, and Rochester rapper/producer Donny Murakami is exploring that feeling in his latest music. “Shock Therapy” plays off of that theme, serving as the lead track on Murakami’s forthcoming project Escapism. Over some driving drums, Donny fantasizes about being a rockstar, porn star, and dope boy, before admitting to himself that he’s a just a broke asshole. Although self-loathing at times, there’s a hunger in Murakami’s voice that shines through confidently amid all the daydreaming. Thematic verses and a catchy hook make for an impressive debut from the Rochesterian. He wishes to be a rock star, but a talented hip hop artist will have to do for now. Stay tuned for more from Donny and be on the lookout for Escapism, slated to drop February 11th.

Death Grips – “Inanimate Sensation”

December 10, 2014

Death Grips is one of the biggest wild cards in music. Whether it’s dropping albums for free without their label’s permission, or no-showing at Lollapalooza, Death Grips do not appear to ever really give a fuck about the music industry. The trio of Zach Hill, MC Ride, and Andy Morin announced their disbandment along with a project earlier this year, and due to label obligations, they owe us one more album. “Inanimate Sensation” will serve as the lead single to that forthcoming album, entitled the powers that b. This song is a doozy. The video is set in a Space Jam-like arena with a fallen Jumbo-Tron taking center stage. On the video screen, Ride’s menacing presence guides us through a great track, but one that is almost uncomfortable to listen to. Death Grips production has always been top-notch, a standard of their music, and here it really shines through. Throughout[...]

[ez amädi] Channels Salvador Dali on New Track

December 3, 2014

Spanish artist Salvador Dali became famous as a surrealist painter throughout the 1900s, and Buffalo rapper [ez amädi] is summoning his spirit for art of a different medium. “Dali,” the latest track from the Erie County emcee and producer, begins with a Madvillainy-esque, cartoony introduction of the genius who was Dali. Amädi relates himself to the modern-era renaissance man as he weaves his rhymes in and out of a beautifully awkward beat of strings and keys. It’s reflective and almost brooding, as Amädi discusses previous thought trains on his path through his artistry, drawing parallels to the track’s namesake. Peep the track below and hit up [ez amädi]’s Soundcloud for more great music.

Mile High Muzik is Buffalo’s Rising Rap Posse

December 3, 2014

Rap groups are a gift to music. Each member of the crew provides a different voice and personality to each track, but still identify with one common name. It’s a cool phenomenon that is kinda unique to rap. Buffalo’s Mile HIgh Muzik is bringing those vibes to the city, through their creativity and fusion of styles. Close friends M-A, Yo Leek, Karma, Bulls, and Bones comprise Mile High, who first came up on the Buffalo rap scene with a self-titled debut mixtape a couple of years ago. Sonically, the group goes into all aspects of hip hop. M-A, producer of most of the crew’s tracks, says “We don’t just do one type of song. From ‘hip hop’ tracks like ‘Flowetry‘ to full out trap music like ‘Miracles,‘ our goal is just to make music that we’re into.” One song that you simple can’t not get into is the infectious “Rollin,'”[...]

Is the New Pusha T Track the Least “Kanye” Kanye Beat We’ve Heard?

November 25, 2014

Pusha T (through Funkmaster Flex) released  “Lunch Money” about a week ago (week ago), his first new track since his solo debut album My Name is My Name last year. From back in the Clipse days of the early to mid 2000s, right through MNIMN, King Push has been rapping over unorthodox beats. Take 2002’s “Intro” off of Clipse’s Lord Willin or 2013’s “Suicide” as examples. It’s in Pusha’s blood to choose unconventional production. So, earlier in the week when “Lunch Money” dropped attached to P’s name, it wasn’t exactly shocking that the beat was pretty whacky. Listeners debated over whether the beat was good or not, but the real conversation started when the producer of the track was revealed to be none other than Yeezus himself. On the record, I would call this a weird beat for Kanye to produce. Off the record, I’d say that this beat is weird as fuck for Kanye[...]

Hip Hop Duo, Mega Powers, Release “Countdown” Straight from the Studio

November 21, 2014

Smooth raps and and some fluttery jazz can be a wonderful fusion, and lucky for us a couple of Buffalo artists are doing exactly that on. Broadcasting “Countdown” from inside the booth, emcee Ideal provides a calming presence to contrast some really low-key thunderous horns courtesy of producer jacebeats. The beat is so much more than just thunder, as jace chooses to interchange the boom of the trumpets with more floating horns. At times, all the brass drops out and some New York boom bap drums make their way from Queensbridge to the Queen City beat. Ideal is effortless on the beat changes, as he hypes us up for an upcoming collaborative project with jacebeats, which Ideal alludes to at the start of the vid. If “Countdown” is any sort of preview, it’ll be a great release from the Mega Powers duo.

EVC’s Cove Releases New Track

November 14, 2014

Multifaceted producer Cove is always reliable for dope new material. His latest track, “It’s the jawn!!!,” is a high energy instrumental that keeps the head rocking. Stuttering organ synths and a distant voice encourage you to “Come on!” throughout the length of the song. Bringing forth feelings of inspiration and drive, it’s the most recent instrumental track of Cove’s to evoke emotion. A member of the ever-talented Essential Vitamins Crew, Cove is behind several standout tracks, and crafted the wonderfully moving album love.gained/love.lost.too., one of my favorite projects of the last year. “It’s the jawn!!!” is another notch in the talented belt of Cove, an artist that breeds consistency and intuition.

Azizi Gibson – “Smoking With The Gods”

November 12, 2014

Maryland-turned-LA rapper, Azizi Gibson, is on the rise, and it seems to be his fate. Leaving family and college behind in his home state, Gibson headed west with the hopes of making it big. By chance, he ran into mega-producer Flying Lotus at a gym while he was couch surfing, and showed him some of his music. One thing turned into another and now Gibson is signed Lotus’ Brainfeeder label, and releasing dope music like “Smoking With The Gods.” In the video, Gibson blows trees with a personified Yahweh as the two cruise around outer space in an old school Benzo. Humorous and at times psychedelic, the video works as a great introduction to Azizi. He’s an artist that could and should blow up, and has the talent to go in several different directions with his tracks. On here, Gibson opts for the smoker’s anthem, and the catchy, monotonous hook[...]

T-Pain’s Return to Relevancy

November 7, 2014

What a week it’s been for T-Pain. The premiere hook-man of the late 2000s was the face of the auto-tune era in pop-rap music, but few people knew that there was so much more to this artist. When T-Pain began using auto-tune, it was innovative and creative. As with any fad, at the decline of it’s popularity, auto-tune in pop music was looked at with disdain. We believed (often times correctly) that is was a crutch for those that lacked real talent. There were artists like Kanye West and Bon Iver who received exceptions from this perception, due to their artistic integrity, but T-Pain was thrusted in with the former group. What everyone forgot until seemingly recently was that T-Pain was using auto-tune before nearly everyone else. Auto-tune was popular because of him, but it wasn’t bad because of him. It was bad because people who couldn’t sing tried to[...]

Chief Keef and Gucci Mane – Big Gucci Sosa

November 5, 2014

Big Gucci Sosa proves two things; Gucci is still here, and as shocking as it is, Chief Keef is back. Despite constantly being in and out of an orange jumpsuit, Gucci is consistent as ever on this thing. Keef has seemingly spent the last couple years of falling out of Chicago’s drill scene, instead opting for lean-induced, lazily-composed auto-tuned madness. It appears as though Guwop has talked some sense into young Keith Cozart though, because this album features a Keef spitting some of the hardest verses of his career. Opening track “Semi On Em” leaves no one questioning to the mindset of these two trap artists. “Bitch, I’m Gucci Mane, you heard that I go coco-loco/So much money that my pitbull got a diamond choker” the trap god raps as the beat thumps and the bass bangs. Keef’s introductory verse on the project signals the listener that we are getting the throwback version of the still-young Chicago[...]

Flying Lotus – “Ready Err Not”

October 31, 2014

Continuing the theme of spooky music videos around Halloween time is producer Flying Lotus. A single off of the super-critically acclaimed (and appropriately titled) Your Dead!, “Ready Err Not” is minimal-sounding, excellently produced song that I didn’t know was scary until this video. Straight out of the twisted mind of David Firth, the animator behind “Salad Fingers,”  “Ready Err Not” is a demented animation that looks into the lives of some deformed cannibalistic sub-humans. I’ve shown 5 people this video and every single one of them (dat sample size) voiced their uncomfortableness. It’s also an unconventional type of NSFW so if you don’t want to be looked at as the office weirdo I’d stay away for now. It’s artistic, intentionally off-putting, and allows you to re-imagine the song in a way that I know I didn’t see at first. Watch it below, and remember it’s NSFW.

Weezy Season is Postponed, Still Approaching

October 29, 2014

October 28th was supposedly the date that tumultuous, polarizing, larger than life hip hop artist Lil Wayne would release The Carter V. The fifth and final Carter concludes the Carter series that has sold well over 8 million copies to date, and has been hyped up as being Wayne’s magnum opus. You may have noticed, V did not end up being released yesterday to many’s disappointment. However, we did get a confusing, yet reassuring video from Wayne that says the album is on it’s way. In the video, Weezy asserts that he has been working so hard on the album that he’s made over 30 songs for it. 30 songs won’t fit on an album he says, so The Carter V will now come in two parts. Coo. It seems like positive news, since we appear to have a bunch of high quality Weezy tracks coming our way. But, Wayne also announced in the video that the first[...]

Ratking – “Cocoa 88”

October 24, 2014

Underground rap trio Ratking are defiantly New York. Hip hop videos have reached the point where luxury seems essential in every single music video. There’s gold, girls, and paradise almost every time. Ratking is one of those groups that disassociate themselves from this aspect of hip hop. They’ve said in the past that they’d like to be associated with punk more so than rap, and looking at videos like “Cocoa 88,” it seems like a reasonable request. The video is poorly lit, dirty, seemingly poorly shot, and filled with attitude as Sporting Life, Wiki, Hak, and guest emcee DJ Dog Dick (great name) post up around random spots in the big city. The face of the group is Wiki, a multiracial fireball who’s missing half of his teeth from taking a punch to the face. Peep the vid below, and watch a throwback to the dungeon days of rap.