Secret Circle is Antwon, Wiki and Lil Ugly Mane. Despot shows up with bars in hand to remind us how we’re probably never getting a Despot album.
BEBOP & ROCKSTEADY By Mr. MFN eXquire Featuring Meyhem Lauren
Named after the original thick-skinned henchman duo, Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire and Meyhem Lauren link up for “Bebop & Rocksteady” off of X’s Brainiac EP, out now. This video is nothing short of hilarious and Meyhem’s Uberpool line at the end is a classic.
THE CHANGE By Noreaga
I don’t have words for the stinker N.O.R.E. just dropped with Pharrell, but his Drink Champs podcast is great and old “Jose Luis Gotcha / golden guns, Frank Sinatra” NoreAGA was easily one of my favorite rappers ever. His solo debut N.O.R.E. was an album that got enough spin in my Discman (!) to warrant a complete repurchase several years after its release, with classic records like “Banned From TV” requiring at least one repeat per play. I rediscovered “The Change” last week and decided to share it here.
BALL GAME By Smoke DZA Featuring Kendrick Lamar
In 2011, Smoke DZA linked up with Kendrick Lamar for this banger off of DZA’s Rolling Stoned album. DZA doesn’t really tend to make a wack project and Kendrick rarely fails us with a feature, so I don’t have to tell you to hit the jump.
CHINATOWN SWING By Wiki
With No Mountains In Manhattan, RATKING’s Wiki is sure to bring in a lot of new fans who didn’t know about him before. While the pictures Wiki paints might lean more towards the abstract, he manages to bring a street-level grittiness to his music that takes you on a colorful but dangerous tour of NYC. “Chinatown Swing”, produced by RATKING member Sporting Life is easily a standout joint.
TOP SHELF PREMIUM FREESTYLE By Meyhem Lauren
Back in June, Meyhem Lauren dropped a vicious freestyle over a sinister beat crafted by Daringer for Top Shelf Premium‘s “Off Top” series. Check out Meyhem’s last album Piatto D’oro if you’re unfamiliar.
DOOMSAYER By MF DOOM (Produced By Alchemist)
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to post last week’s DOOM release (“True Lightyears”, featuring Jay Electronica) from his Missing Notebook Rhymes series on account of that flute being absolutely unbearable. However, one thing about DOOM is that you can expect something different every time, especially when it comes to production. On the ominously- and aptly-titled “DOOM”, the enigmatic MC links with Alchemist for a record that makes true heads hunger for a DOOM/ALC collaborative project (MAD ALCHEMY? Come on, man. Please.)…because this, though really good, will not be enough.
RUBBER BAND MAN By A$AP Ferg Featuring Cam’ron
A$AP Ferg links with his Harlem OG for some brand new heat off Ferg’s album Still Striving.
AN OPEN LETTER TO DONALD TRUMP By Wynne
Hailing from Portland, Oregon (another one!), 20-year-old Wynne (imagine a young Margo Robbie with bars) surprised me with this incredibly thoughtful and heartfelt rhyme addressing a whole host of issues swirling around our country and its fugazi President. I’m just going to go on record saying that Portland and the surrounding area are churning out soulful, interesting artists by the dozen and you’d be a fool not to be paying attention because Portland is definitely up next. As for Wynne herself, she describes her style as “Kendrick Lamar with a feature from Julie Andrews”…and if that doesn’t pique your interest, I’m not sure what will.
BROWN PAPER BAG THOUGHTS By DJ Clue Featuring Raekwon
Growing up on the west coast, DJ Clue and Funkmaster Flex’s respective album series were my first introduction to the mixtape format. When I went to DC for college, I began actually collecting the more consistent street tapes by Clue, Kay Slay, Flex, and others. Dj Clue’s The Professional remains an album I hold dear for several performances on it. On “Brown Paper Bag Thoughts”, Raekwon floats over a sinister track while DJ Clue somehow improves the record by screaming incessantly in the background.