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F. Virtue – “The Hawk and The Leopard”

September 6, 2016

F. Virtue’s rap style heirs towards an emotional connection with poetry. On his thoughtfully crafted “The Hawk and The Leopard,” Virtue spills out feelings of longing and nostalgia, reflecting on happier times in lines like “The last member of a group we’d thought last forever, they moved on. I think the past was better.” He’s a talented writer; even when the figurative language alluded to in the title dissipated for sections, his poignancy is telling: “We keep going forward, but I don’t really want to.” Though coming from a darker place, “The Hawk’s” production isn’t as somber as its lyrics might suggest. Their upbeat synth-iness is a nice contrast to Virtue’s reflection. It’s a great song in all capacity, listen below.

Mike of Doom – “Cliche”

September 6, 2016

Mike of Doom is sick of the standard rehashes we see in rap and other popular music. In “Cliche,”  addresses all the of these things he’s sick of, centered around the chorus. “All this shit sound the same. Different boat, same wave… I do what I want I’m not cliche.” Mike of Doom is also sick because he’s walking the walk. The beat is loaded soundscape featuring all sorts of sounds that wouldn’t appear on a regular ole’ track. He isn’t talking about money and hoes, expressed with “I’ve had more girls than David Beckham, but to rap about it just might disrespect them.” His flow is that of a guy who doesn’t take shit, plain and simple. “Cliche” is an interesting track, entirely accessible on the first listen, while shitting on components of some other songs that you’d love right off the bat. He’s got compelling things to say,[...]

Defiant III – “Crossfire”

September 6, 2016

The Defiant III trio of IDE, Alucard and Jise One pride themselves on their ability to rap their asses off. IDE and Warren Snyde whipped up a menacing beat, creating a canvas that feels like a place you probably shouldn’t be at night. Lyrically, it’s rapid grit that these guys are spitting through their fangs. It’s unforgiving with no moment wasted, so when you do catch a line like “Explode like antipersonnel mines, roadside bomb will your whole side gone, left with half a face and no right arm” or “Reenter the exit wound and you die twice,” that uneasy feeling you had is justified. Bordering on horrorcore, “Crossfire” is a nasty rap track that takes no prisoners and leaves a pile of victims in its wake. Pretty powerful stuff, so listen to it with the lights on.

Kells Dougie – “95′ Freestyle”

September 6, 2016

Up-and-comer Kells Dougie can rip off line after line of short, but sweet quips. Case-in-point is in “95′ Freestyle.” Freestyle tracks are great because they have a different type of expectation. Commonly misperceived as having to be “off the top,” a good freestyle really should just be fun and filled with punchlines, and that’s exactly what we have here. All song long, Kells is busting out stuff like “Subtitle flow, they see every bar I’m saying.” and “Different draft class, ain’t into the game like us.” The boom bap beat ties back to the year alluded to in its title, and the track proves to be traditional hip hop greatness. Press play below.

Anfa Rose – “Downtown”

September 6, 2016

Anfa Rose is a genre-bender with the ability to spit a hot 16 and get you singing along with a hook on the same track. Such is the case on “Downtown,” a track with the sparkle that its title would suggest. Rose discusses the wonder and excitement that “downtown” and  talks about his strengths and shortcomings (“I’m a nice guy if the vice right.”). The melodic chorus spews excitement and a sense of homeliness when it kicks off with “See me ’round town when I’m downtown.” That’s where Anfa knows is comfortable, right in the middle of the lights. Press play down there.

Duncecap – “Bandaids”

September 6, 2016

Duncap is a rapper armed with a dexterous flow and the ability to make misery sound entertaining. Accurately laid out in creative, high-effort DIY music vid, “Bandaids”  is a track about self-destruction and a sense of hopelessness. Not exactly sunny stuff, but Duncecap remains charismatic on the mic. Over a beat of zesty drums, Dunce shows off his technical skills while trying and failing to sort out his issues. “Tickets to the gun show and it’s aimed at my head,” he raps with lively honesty. “Bandaids” is off of Duncaps’ Human Error project, listen below.

Phillip Bixby – “Favor 2.0” (feat. Monica)

September 1, 2016

Armed with a voice that cuts you to your core, and subject matter that will have you on your knees, Miami’s Philip Brexby is making genre-bending R&B. Though the former pastor heavily influenced by faith and gospel music, Bixby’s modern pop and electronic sounds have the accessibility of Sam Smith’s wave. Monica provides delicate vocals to intertwine with Bixtby’s coos and pledges to God and his interest’s interest in Him. Powerful synths and bounding bass lead the track’s electronic essence. On its surface, “Favor 2.0” sounds gorgeous and a dive deeper into spirituality. Listen below.

Dwayne Applewhite – “23”

August 25, 2016

Dwayne Applewhite is a smooth operator. Coming off of the successful Pharaogamo project, the rapper  is dropping quality, multi-faceted tracks left and right. The talented MC uses his soft voice to do double duty as both a rapper and a singer. Songs like “4AM Meditation” feature more of this melodic singing from the 23-year-old, but on “23” he saves his chops for a memorable chorus and sticks to the floetry for his verses. “23” is both a celebration and a warning. Applewhite is proud of where he’s at at just 23, but the demons he’s overcome for now are just waiting in the mist. He feels trapped by his surroundings, and questions his faith in it all with lines like”Why do these Jesus pieces got me puzzled?” He’s introspective, weary, and chocked full of profound thoughts. Here’s to hoping Applewhite reflects on his future years with the same diligence as “23.”

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.

Eddy – “Go On”

August 17, 2016

“Tell me do you feel this? Tell me do you feel me?” Rapper Eddy kicks off his single “Go On” by posing these all-important questions, but he already has a conclusion in his mind. “Go On” is a break-up track, but not necessarily a sad story. Eddy knows he has his faults, and so does his girl. He’s also ready to move on with his music; it’s just time to move with everything. The muted beat is at times reminiscent of DJ Khaled’s monster single “I’m On One.” Displaying some nice technical ability on his internal rhymes, Eddy is a talented dude with both his words and how he demonstrates his story. Hear it in full below.

Mr. Witch – “Feelin Fine” ft. Devin Lucien & Akira the Don

July 29, 2016

With an awesome stereo mix, dance-y trap production, and ferocious rapping, Mr. Witch’s “Feelin Fine” concoction has got your ears covered. Devin Lucien and Akira the Don contribute vocals to the evolving beat. The front half of the track is a culmination of energy, with some “I’m feelin fine today” chants and pitched-down vocals from Lucien to accompany the steady trap claps and snares. The back-half is payoff, with Akira the Don coming through with a spit-fire verse in his flaming accented flow. Production kills it the whole time, spanning from calm to chaotic. Press play below.

Love at First Sound – “24/702”

July 27, 2016

Sin City native Love at First Sound knows the inter-city workings of his home. He touches all bases, especially early on in the somber line “Last time I been up in a church was when my friend was in a hearse.” Though he talks about Vegas as a whole, LaFS brings a personal touch along with some great lyricism when he talks about some former relationships he was in at home; “I met this girl by the name of Mia, she didn’t believe my truths that’s when I became a liar/And then I met Destiny Moore, and then we broke up and I focused on my destiny more.” Production has a thoughtful, prodding pace to it to accompany LaFS’s unraveling of thoughts and emotions regarding his city. You can listen to “24/702” below, and Love at First Sound’s debut project AUDRA at this link.

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.