Metal Lungies

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Who drops bangers with No I.D. and Flying Lotus in the same week? Killer Mike (or Mike Bigga, depending on who you ask). Any rapper with those two producers in his rolodex is on the right track.

Update: “Ready Set Go” video here.

Lotus joint at Kia Adult Swim Presents 8 Singles 8 Weeks

Nope, Detroit’s winning streak isn’t over. On “Just Think,” Magestik Legend speaks to the female’s side of a relationship with refreshing clarity and precise rhymes, territory previously covered by Wale with “Diary.” Hidden behind the city’s heavyweigiht talents, Magestik is the D’s best kept secret (evidence). The track appears on producer Apollo Brown’s new album The Reset.

Download: Apollo Brown – Just Think (ft. Magestik Legend)

Much thanks to Mr. Legend for delivering the audio.

Statik Selektah creates a worthy New York anthem that evokes the city’s 24/7 bustle and adds a 2Pac sample on the hook for +5 gulliness. I forgot how ill Pac’s voice was.

This song will appear on the mixtape soundtrack of Styles P’s novel Invincible. If Styles P the novelist is anywhere as entertaining as @therealstylesp, then we’re in for a treat.

Download: Styles P – Sellouts (ft. Bully) (produced by Statik Selektah)

via Nah Right

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I’m trying to see how I could combine hip hop with like a fucking Beatles sound, on some rock, but not too rock. Beatles shit, but hip hop. I did the funk, the soul, niggas did that, so now I gotta do this but it gotta be right, I ain’t just gonna go in there and try to do that shit. It’s gonna have to be some ridiculous shit. I know niggas might hear this and go and try to do it, but they’re not gonna do it how I do it because I have a certain way Imma do it.

It’s weird that I remember this quote from a December 2008 interview (the legendary Hex Murda interview!), but ever since I read it, I’ve been waiting to hear what Black Milk was talking about. Listening to this leftover from Album of the Year, which drops in July, I can conclude that Black’s “Beatles shit” was well worth the wait. I only wish it were longer than two minutes.

First, Black mastered the soul sample. Then he legitimized keyboard beats with Tronic. Now, perhaps just to show off, he’s conquered rap-rock, a sub genre with an embarrassing history.

Update: I had the sample and I didn’t even realize.

Download: Lee Fields – Love Comes And Goes

off My World

With no explanation, Blu shared this track with Exile where he moans about his beloved over what sounds like some 1950s Chordettes era shit. I could see Blu angrily adjusting the antenna on his brand new color television to this. of Needless to say, it’s awesome.

Download: Blu – JustToPerfect (produced by Exile)

via IDontLikeMyTitiesFake (Blu’s Tumblr)

Another great 7″ from Tres Records owner/producer Chikaramanga featuring our old friend Co$$.

Download: Chikaramanga – Trill (ft. Co$$)

via HipHopSite.com

Peep the video for the best single of the year (so far, anyway).

I was racking my brain to figure out where I had heard this before until I finally matched the beat to Rosa Acosta’s ass. This warm and carefree joint has summer anthem written all over it. “Do It Better” will appear on Seattle rap group Dyme Def’s upcoming project Sex Tape, which drops June 1.

Tha Bizness are The Neptunes of the new school. They provide stars like Drake and unknowns like Dyme Def with radio-ready jams, then turn around and lace Pill and Bishop Lamont.

Download: Dyme Def – Do It Better (produced by Tha Bizness)

via Dyme Def

Estelle’s new single sounds like “American Boy” lite, but it’s still an essential on my slumber party mixtape. Very clubby poppy, but without today’s compulsory electro inclination. Nas put more vigor into this verse than anything on his latest African hippie excursion with Damian Marley. Something about pop tracks entices rappers to punch the beat in the face.

Update: video here.

It don’t matter what the blogs say,
I go hard like ain’t nobody signed me

O RLY? I’ve got a dozen Distant Relatives email blasts that say otherwise. And “say” doesn’t rhyme with “me.”

“Papermill,” the first single from the new Madvillain album, clocks in at 1:45, but that’s enough of time for Madlib and Doom to shit on lesser hip-hoppers’ careers. Madlib pulls out a funky guitar loop from God knows where and Doom raps in puzzling non sequiturs.

Download: Madvillain – Papermill

via Kia Adult Swim Presents 8 Singles 8 Weeks