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Marsha Ambrosius is following up on her excellent mixtape from earlier this year with Yours Truly: Revisitied. Former Aftermath producer Focus (who’s apparently going by TheRealFocus now) is at the helm once again and his production sounds as extravagant as ever.

Download: Marsha Ambrosius – Heartbreaker (producer by TheRealFocus)

via OnSMASH

I’m officially excited to hear Sacramento producer Lee Bannon’s mixtape Me & Marvin when it drops tomorrow. Every track will sample Marvin Gaye. Between this and the last song we heard, Me & Marvin is shaping up to be something special and not just formulaic soul samples.

Download: Lee Bannon – Paid My Dues (ft. Singapore Kane, Termanology, Big Shug)

via Xclusives Zone

This is the first I’ve heard of Philadelphia producer/rapper Lushlife. The beat is great – a chopped up rock sample interspersed with vocal samples – but the verses leave something to be desired. Off his sophomore album Cassette City.

Download: Lushlife – In Soft Focus (ft. Ariel Pink, Elzhi)

Tomorrow night come out to celebrate the release of 2 solid hip-hop albums, Blaq Poet’s Tha Blaqprint & DJ JS-1′s No Sellout. Be sure to check the dress code on the 2 fliers , as you might have to wear your timbs to work.  Since we are so nice to our readers , we have a few tickets to give away, simply send an email to

with the subject Release Party tickets and we will hook you up with a pair.

Really, Jay? Boxes marked “Auto-Tune” exploding? I can’t be too mad, he got the OG T.I. to play his chauffeur and Jigga apparently plays cards with Harvey Keitel on the regular. And Kobe’s in there too.

But still, there needed to be a teaser for this?

The Brown Baggers spit that old New York rap. Get your fix.

Download: Brown Bag AllStars – Live From the Nine (produced by DJ Skizz)

Download: Brown Bag AllStars – Got It All (produced by DJ Dyllemma, cuts by DeeJay Element)

RZA finally cleared the air regarding the Chamber Music album: “Chamber Music is NOT a new Wu-Tang Clan album — but it’s pretty close.” RZA told Billboard that the idea to make a vintage Wu-themed album without samples was producer Bob Perry’s idea. Instead, Brooklyn-based band The Revelations provides live music. (wait, what about El Michels Affair?)

So for the record, Chamber Music is only a side project, which I think is appropriate. Some will laud the album for being a more traditional Wu-Tang affair than 8 Diagrams (hi haters!), but it doesn’t have the magnitude of a real Wu-Tang album.

Download: Ghostface Killah, RZA, Havoc – Evil Deeds

via Xclusives Zone

Download: Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Ace – Kill Too Hard

via 2dopeboyz

A little catch-up on one of my favourites from the South, Killa Kill from the Ville, a.k.a. Killer Mike. Mike is smarter and better than your favourite rapper, and he’s been putting some fantastic tracks lately.

There’s a few tags on these, but they’re mostly pretty quiet. “Pay Up” is allegedly a Detox reference track (certainly nothing new these days), but it doesn’t really matter; it succeeds on its own merits, a stellar storytelling track with an appropriately late night vibe.

“My City” and “Man Up’” are both off the new Greg Street/Grand Hustle mixtape. “My City” is a tour through Atlanta, blessed with a thundering Cannon beat. “Man Up” is just some quality shit talk over blaring horns.

DOWNLOAD: Killer Mike – Pay Up (Detox Reference)

DOWNLOAD: Killer Mike – Man Up

DOWNLOAD: Killer Mike – My City (Prod. Don Cannon)

In case, you were wondering, I Pledge Allegiance II is easily top 50 for the decade.

Brilliant video. Every Red video is awesome  – the video for “I’ll Bee Dat” clearly the best, if only for the “Reggie’s Secret” scene.

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How many mainstream rappers grab Elzhi for a track? I just got that much less embarrassed to call myself a Drake fan.

Download: Drake – Think Good Thoughts (ft. Phonte, Elzhi) (produced by 9th Wonder)

via FWMJ’s Rappers I Know