I mentioned Koncrete a couple of months ago. His mixtape, Well Grounded, is set to be released on March 26. He just sent us a freestyle, on the much used Over beat. This dude has a ridiculous flow, and he is definitely an artist to watch.
The Usual Suspects are a Chicago-based rap crew who just released their self-titled debut EP online. Rapper Ebonics kicks impeccable, effortless flows while group producer the Professional provides soulful, surprisingly polished beats. Nothing you haven’t heard before on here, but If you like throwback hip-hop with strong rapping and great beats, do yourself a favour and peep this EP. I’m glad to see the EP making a comeback. More rookie rappers would do well to follow this example and introduce yourself with a strong, concise EP instead of an overstuffed, underproduced mixtape.
The highlights are numerous but two songs stood out to me. “Truer Love” weaves a gorgeous piano sample with knocking drums as Ebonics rhapsodizes about his girl, guaranteed to get your head bobbing. “Cookin’ Up Classics” sees Ebonics spit an impressive double-time flow over a churning, stuttering beat.
Listen to both tracks and cop the whole EP below:
Truer Love (ft.Elle)
Cookin’ Up Classics
Up and coming rapper Koncrete just sent me this video he shot for his new song Exhibit K (a remix of Jay Electronica’s Exhibit B). He’s a fellow DMV person and a rapper that is definitely worth discovering. He sounds a bit like Big Pun, but with a heavy New Orleans (his hometown) influence. Check out his MySpace and be sure to look out for his upcoming mixtape Koncrete is ‘Well Grounded”.
The video is directed by Dehyu Sinyan
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Over a creeping lurch of a beat, Detroit/Chicago group Crown Nation emphatically chew through their bars, aided by a typically excellent and goofy Danny Brown verse. Pay attention to these cats.
He cut his Jewfro and now looks uncannily like a cat I went to high school with; he’s on some business school ish! Edan talks about the possibility of live-in studio albums and an animated film with Mr. Lif. His new album comes out in November.
Via GRANDGOOD by way of Senor Kaos (who did a great job with the interview)
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Ooh, this is nice. Clattering drums, a smooth guitar loop and some piano set off this low-key banger. Rapping is solid too. “Good Hygiene” sounds like an unearthed mid 90s 12’, and I mean that in the best possible way.
Tha Doppelgangaz consists of NY rappers Matter ov Fact and EP, who produces the group’s tracks. You can read more about the group here. Cop the single and their EP below, ML-approved.
I like this a lot. A low-key NY anthem by Long Island emcee Prafit, produced by the homey Disco Vietnam. “Swing”’ has been getting some love on Real Late with Pete Rosenberg, which is cool. Strong Island y’all.
More Prafit, all produced by Disco. I’m especially fond of “Nice Weather”.
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s finally here. We’ve been hyping it up and now the album is here. Liner notes here.
Treacherous dialect and tuneful indie rock, manifested in hip-hop format.
Here, take this:
Here’s the first single off The Slow Twilight, “Stay Clean”, via 2dopeboyz.
Previously: 5 O’Clock Shadowboxers – Dirt Naps
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A nice new track by the very talented Fresno native, perfectly suited for a rainy day. Exile’s beat sounds like it could be off of Below The Heavens and Fash rips it. Fashawn’s debut Boy Meets World comes out September 1st, and is produced entirely by Exile. This kid is the same age as me, damn.
