The Odd Future hype has died down for the moment and MMG is just an extension of Rick Ross’ self-parody featuring some mediocre to semi-decent rappers, so Black Hippy and ASAP Mob are the hip-hop cliques to watch right now. They’re both coming off great albums and they’re doing it without any gimmicks. Habits and Contradictions from ScHoolBoy Q is the grandson of G-funk; the weird cool, new thing for a new generation of heads. It’s nice when familiar rap themes get a fresh new sound and a fresh new face. Listen to some choice cuts above and below.

I tend to go overboard with superlatives when I see a music video I really like, but “Thuggin’” is the best video of its kind in a long time. It’s just seamless, ultra-stark images of drug dealers and gun runners which captures Freddie Gibbs’ stripped back approach perfectly. For the uninitiated, this is a great primer on Gibbs. And one of the best songs of last year.

I couldn’t imagine a more fitting video for this wacky, trippy track. I could do with more Paul White instrumentals.

For all the adulation and Bawse fealty, there’s really only one good song on Rich Forever. “Stay Schemin” does the urban kingpin thing in a way that isn’t too obvious or redundant. Ricky, Drake, and French Montana sing the woes of being the boss of a toxic city. By some mix up, French Montana hilariously sings the hook, but it kind of fits. Sometimes — not as often as people think — Rick Ross actually does pick really good beats.

Download: Rick Ross – Stay Schemin (ft. Drake, French Montana) (produced by The Beat Bully)

I listened to the whole song waiting for a Kurupt verse. I also would have appreciated a Montell Jordan cameo. So yeah, I’m comfortable with this vibe. Don’t listen to this if you don’t like fun. Off Cold Day In Hell.

Let me explain,
Nothing’s been new since Big Daddy Kane.

I love it when a rapper so succinctly shits on the whole game. Grab the mixtape below.

Download: Ludacris – 1.21 Gigawatts: Back To The First Time

I remember informing a kid in my 7th grade gym class that Busta Rhymes could rap twenty words per second. I eventually grew out of the notion that rap was a contest of who could rap the fastest. But this “Rigamortus” remix… damn.

via The FADER

Posted for the frantic, psychedelic animation, though Blu and FlyLo’s collaboration is a recent highlight for the discreet West Coast rapper. U-God’s part is missing from the video.

[Hip-hop] is the greatest gay market in the world. The hip-hop community is most likely owned by gay, to be honest with you. I happen to think there’s a gay mafia in hip-hop. Not rappers. The editorial presidents of magazines, the PDs at radio stations, the people who give you award at award shows. This is a fucking gay mafia, my man. They are in power. So why wouldn’t a guy come out and say, ‘Yo, I’m gay,’ and get that type of love. I mean, Lady Gaga, I don’t know if she’s gay, but she running with that gay shit for real and she is winning.

-Fat Joe

The old woman that I’m slowly turning into has been wary of this new trend in streaming concerts, not trusting video quality or not wanting to watch a concert that I can’t make it to. I’ll admit, and I don’t do this often, that I was wrong, it’s awesome. I recently tuned into Foster the People’s set on Live on Letterman, having missed the live airing, and was totally pleased to have the best seat in the house all while never leaving the couch. Their lead singer gets me every time because he dances so enthusiastically (let’s be real, awkwardly) that I can only imagine that’s what I look like when I’m getting down. I was really pleased that they took the time to rock out some of their better songs and didn’t stick to milking Pumped Up Kicks for all that it’s worth. Foster, you’re good, you don’t have to rely on 15 minute Pumped Up Kicks jam sessions. The most notable tracks that they killed it on were Miss You (maybe I’m biased, but I just love that song), Helena Beat (another favorite), and Color on the Walls (ugh, I love every song, I have a problem). Although I’ve been pimping out this band since the beginning of the summer if you haven’t checked them out yet this is a perfect opportunity, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Check it out here, here, here!!