Metal Lungies

Whisper rap back.

Prince Samo brings his son to work. Thanks, Nah Right.

Words I never thought I’d write: here is some excellent and surreal rap from Dallas.

Filed under ‘Music you would have found at Fat Beats’ from LA’s True Masterz , courtesy of GRNDGD.

Kutmah calls himself Kutoma on this release (WordPress won’t show the Japanese characters), and offers beats made of spare parts – I scarcely heard any horns, pianos, strings, guitars, or Motown wails. Instead, the beats are made of clatters, pops, and echoes. Something tells me WhoSampled won’t tell you much about these beats.

Dallas’ T.Y.E. takes the stage.

I’m waiting for the video where they’re pouring Dasani on chicks at Magic City.

I’ve revisited Yes Lawd! more than any other album from 2016. I might have been underwhelmed on the first listen because I expected it to go further left given that this was a Stones Throw release by two towering figures of today’s underground/indie rap scene, though Anderson .Paak hasn’t been underground for some time now. But it’s a mistake to listen to Yes Lawd! expecting Madvillain meets Curtis Mayfield. Unlike a Madlib production, the beats glide along comfortably and give .Paak’s retro pimp space to shine and the aesthetic comes out perfect. It’s a soul album having too much fun to take anything too seriously. Watch the video for “Scared Money” and savor all the details smashed together: wads of cash, fur coats, Chinese takeout, Gucci, Louis, and Adidas logos, and the aloof producer with his eyes downcast. Then a sun-scorched basketball court at the end of the world. A full-length remix album later this year means we get to have all this fun again.

A boom bap dispatch. Marseille’s Creestal is adept at making beats as claustrophobic as city living without sacrificing soul. Differences pairs his 2013 beat tape Difference with a murderer’s row of blog rap favorites Ras Kass, Rapper Big Pooh, Skyzoo, Roc Marciano, Conway, Hus Kingpin, Blu, Planet Asia, and Torae.

A glitchy remix for Saba’s single.