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JUNE 2014 RECAP: NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS
So much music gets released every week that it gets hard to keep up with everything, so we try to make it easier for you. In case you missed anything worth listening to, here are the projects released this month we think you should go back and check out.
Dark Comedy – Open Mike Eagle (buy here)
Open Mike Eagle, of the Thirsty Fish and Swim Team, released this wildly funny satirical hip hop record this year that is thoroughly enjoyable and smartly executed.
Niggas on the Moon – Death Grips (free download here)
Noise-hop group Death Grips released this project for free out of nowhere this month. They claim it is only the first part to a free double album that will be released this year titled The Powers That B. This 8 track record samples Bjork throughout and is one of the group’s most challenging and noisy projects to date.
Connecticut Casual – Apathy (buy here)
Army of the Pharaohs and The Demigodz member Apathy has released a solo album this month. The album aims to show listeners a largely unknown side of Connecticut, and it does so through some incredible raps and fantastic songs.
Village Party – Alex Wiley (free download here)
Chicago up-and-comer Alex Wiley released a free project this month to follow 2013’s release of Club Wiley. This project shows Alex Wiley’s continued growth as an energetic songwriter and a great talent out of Chicago whose break into a larger audience is now only a matter of time away. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
The Vinyl – L.A. VanGogh (free download here)
Underground Chicago artist L.A. VanGogh released an almost entirely self-produced free album this month. The very personal project examines its artist’s different faces and the contradictions that exist within him in a brilliant way. Conceptually and musically this is a phenomenal project that should absolutely not be slept on, so go pick this up for free now.
¡Mursday! – ¡Mayday! & Murs (buy here)
Murs made his Strange Music debut with this collaborative album with labelmates ¡Mayday!. This is a solid album for the summer, with lush beats consisting of live instrumentation and a lot of great tracks coming out of the joint efforts of all emcees involved.
CLPPNG – Clipping. (buy here)
One of my favorite records of the year so far, this experimental and industrial hip hop album is fantastic from top to bottom. With brilliant production and excellent lyricism, the group offers an unflinchingly dark look at a viciously grim environment in a way that will grab you at your gut and keep a tight grip until it’s done with you. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
These Days… – Ab-Soul (buy here)
TDE dropped its 4th project of 2014 with this new Ab-Soul record. Though it is not quite the deep Ab-Soul many of us have come to expect and want, the project offers more great rhymes and some excellent production. It’s a worthwhile listen, sure to give you a few tracks to keep playing.
***This is only a list of EP’s, mixtapes, albums, and other full projects that were released over the month. If you’re more interested in songs that were released, check out our list of all the good singles that were dropped in June.
#recap#l.a. vanvogh#ab-soul#tde#apathy#open mike eagle#death grips#clipping#clppng#alex wiley#mayday#murs#strange music
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JUNE 2014 RECAP: NOTEWORTHY SONGS
Here are the singles, album teasers, remixes, and just random promo tracks that were dropped over the last month that we feel are worth your time in case you missed any of them. Click on the song titles to go listen to them.
0 TO 100/THE CATCH UP – DRAKE
Drizzy dropped this track at the beginning of the month, produced by Boi-1da, Frank Dukes, 40, and Nineteen85. He teases already having Spring 2015 locked down, so looks like we know when to expect Drake season to come back around.
NAH I’M TALKING BOUT – G-UNIT
G-Unit reunited on the Summer Jam stage and then dropped this track over the instrumental to “Grindin’ My Whole Life” off of Hit-Boy’s new HS87 album, We The Plug.
REAL QUICK – G-UNIT
Following the G-Unit Summer Jam reunion, the group dropped this freestyle over Drake’s “0 to 100.”
ORDINARY – G-UNIT
G-Unit kept the streak going, this time over the instrumental to Trey Songz’s “Ordinary.”
THEY TALKED ABOUT JESUS – G-UNIT
I’m running out of things to say for all these G-Unit releases. So here’s another one.
CARRY ON – STATIK SELEKTAH
Statik is back after a stellar compilation album last year with this single featuring Joey Bada$$ and Freddie Gibbs.
REBEL MUSIC – MC REN & ICE CUBE
If you don’t understand why this track deserves your highest level of excitement, you don’t deserve to call yourself a hip hop fan.
BLOCK PARTY – YG & BLANCO
The new West Coast reps hop on this Cookin’ Soul beat for something a little more reminiscent of the old West’s sound.
SEEN IT ALL – JEEZY FT. JAY-Z
Jeezy dropped the title track to his upcoming album, Seen It All, which is slated to be released on September 2nd. Cardo on the beat, and Hov featured on the track, this
BIGGER THAN ME – THE GAME
The Game turns his bully sights on the new XXL Freshman Class for this new cut from his upcoming album, Blood Money La Familia, slated for a September release.
BUY THE WORLD – MIKE WILL MADE IT
The “Move That Dope” producer and enabler of Miley Cyrus’ attempts to infiltrate hip hop released this single with Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and Future. This is a cut from his upcoming major label debut, Est. in 1989 pt. 3.
JUNGLE (REMIX) – X AMBASSADORS & JAMIE N COMMONS FT JAY–Z
Beats Music got Jay-Z on the remix for this anthem for the 2014 World Cup. Like most of you, I had no idea what this was until I heard Hov jumped on it, so now that something hip hop has entered soccer we can finally enjoy.
NO MEDIOCRE – T.I. FT. IGGY AZALEA
T.I. grabbed Hustle Muzik’s hot white star for his new DJ Mustard produced single from his upcoming album Paper Work. Crack or wack, it’s got a white girl trying desperately (and almost offensively) to sound black on it so this is probably going to sell big.
HELLA HOES – A$AP MOB
A$AP Rocky and his crew dropped this single from their upcoming compilation album L.O.R.D.
WISHING ON A STAR – RAEKWON
Be on the lookout for The Chef’s album dropping later this year, F.I.L.A.
STOP TRIPPING – RAEKWON
Raekwon came back again with this quick and smooth story track.
HOW TO ROB THE MOB – A$AP FERG
A$AP Ferg dropped this fun track over Wu-Tang’s classic “Tearz” instrumental. He takes a page out of a young 50 Cent’s book, but this time he details how he would rob his own A$AP crew.
EGO DEATH – BUSDRIVER FT. AESOP ROCK & DANNY BROWN
LA underground rapper Busdriver pulled in Danny Brown and Aesop Rock for this eclectic and lyric-heavy banger.
MELT – MAC MILLER
On the year anniversary of the release of Mac’s sophomore album Watching Movies With The Sound Off, he dropped this unreleased cut featuring Schoolboy Q produced by Pete Rock.
THE STAR ROOM (OG VERSION) – MAC MILLER
Mac also dropped this version of the first track off his last album, produced by Earl Sweatshirt.
WHAT IT’S WORTH – BLACK MILK
Black Milk dropped this loosie for us before announcing his new album slated to be released this year, If There's A Hell Below.
FILTH – J DILLA
After last month’s release of Dilla’s EP, Give Em What They Want, here’s another unreleased track that is short and sweet.
THERE IS ONLY NOW – SOULS OF MISCHIEF
The first single and title track off the legendary Souls of Mischief’s upcoming album. Produced by Adrian Younge and featuring Snoop Dogg, this is a great taste of what’s to come when There is Only Now drops in August.
DIRT (REMIX) – MOBB DEEP FT. GHOSTFACE KILLAH
Ghostface Killah added some Wu-Tang gold to one of my favorite tracks off one of my favorite albums of the year so far for this remix. Show respect to the Gods and check this out, as well as The Infamous Mobb Deep.
RICO & BOBBY – NIKO IS
NIKO IS, Talib Kweli’s artist signed to his Javotti Media imprint, has just released the first new track since the March release of his Good Blood LP. With heavy South American influence, this Brazilian artist dropped yet another dope track.
***This list does not include all the dope tracks that were on different projects released this month, so check out our list of those projects if you feel like this list is lacking
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ALBUM REVIEW: CLPPNG - CLIPPING.
CLPPNG – Clipping.
Fat Hasan Album Review
9/10
West Coast hip hop trio Clipping has just released their first retail project, CLPPNG, the follow-up to their debut tape released last year, Midcity. The trio consists of emcee Daveed Diggs and producers Jonathan Snipes & William Hutson, and they are making some of the most intriguing hip hop available today. Whereas most noise-heavy experimental hip hop aims to shatter the genre’s norms, Clipping succeeds in expanding the already established orthodoxies without ever abandoning them at the core.
Their debut release in 2013, Midcity, was an entirely noise-oriented album. There was nearly no traditional percussion on the project, it was almost entirely devoid of melody, and the only aspect of the tape that felt customary to hip hop was the rapping itself. CLPPNG takes a more accessible approach, using less harsh noise and more industrial sounds to craft their soundscape. “Body and Blood” uses noise and several obscure sounds, but they come together to form a banging beat that could blow out your subwoofers. “Work Work” so delicately uses what sounds like live percussion to form a beautiful instrumental, and even when the hook comes in and uses a typical kick-snare pattern with a deep bassline and some melody, it never feels like a compromise. “Summertime” also uses a pretty traditional kick-snare pattern, but with just the perfect amount of obscurity in the background to keep it within their realm. “Dream” is the only track that relies mostly on static and sounds similar to something that would have been on Midcity, and is also really the only dull moment on the album despite some great spoken-word style lyricism. “Get Up” brilliantly uses an alarm clock as the entire instrumental, with Daveed riding it’s tempo until more alarm clocks come in to harmonize during the sung chorus. “Or Die” sounds like the type of instrumental that looks at Yeezus and then says “this is how it’s done.” Rather than placing the importance on the aggressive or experimental appeal of their instrumentals, they make sure everything musically backs up the stories being told and the pictures being painted.
While the production creates a vivid and encapsulating hellish environment, Diggs works hard to fill this eerie underworld with the appropriate stories and characters. The album opens with a stinging high-frequency whistle that will make your dog cringe as Diggs rapidly paints a vicious habitat that he can continue to fill with equally ferocious and demented inhabitants. “Body and Blood” is the first story told, giving the term “man-eater” an entirely new meaning. One of my favorite tracks of the year so far, “Body and Blood” takes the archetypal “bad bitch” and turns her into a lustful and cannibalistic predator that seduces her prey before feeding. “Work Work” tells the tale of the drug dealer; “Summertime” details the increasingly violent nature of the characters in the summer and the song features an excellent guest verse from King T; and “Taking Off” is almost social commentary in the way it compares the lives of those living in this slum as burning fuses on a rocket that’s ready to blast them off to 2Pac’s “thugs mansion” in heaven. Today’s typical radio/party record tends to revolve around euphemisms for getting laid, so “Tonight” almost satirically takes a hand at this approach by using a lazily sung and autotuned hook that ends in Diggs just saying “Who fucking tonight?” over and over. Though the chorus is pretty laughable, it seems intentional and it fits the song greatly.
On CLPPNG, Clipping takes a lot of quintessential gangsta rap stories and characters and situations and shows them in an even more barbarous setting. The ominous instrumentals allow the stories to dig deeper into the darkness that they are trying to portray. The raps remain in the 3rd person throughout the album, as though to tell the bleak story of this savage environment as a whole rather than any one person’s experiences.
With this sophomore release, Clipping drags musical norms to their side of the tracks and repackages them with an industrial and gritty edge that is unmatched in the current state of hip hop. What Clipping succeeds in doing is creating a world so convincingly real and captivating that it will take a while for its grip on you to loosen up. Upon releasing Midcity, they said that “clipping. makes party music for the club you wish you hadn’t gone to, the car you don’t remember getting in, and the streets you don’t feel safe on,” and there is no better way to describe what they do. Where a popular noise-hop group like Death Grips will reach for the fringes of experimentation and cacophonous insanity to achieve a similar impact, Clipping moves tactfully and more subdued, only making their effect even more haunting and powerful. This is definitely one of the best albums I’ve heard this year and probably the best experimental noise-rap album I’ve ever heard. If you’re willing to stray from the norm a bit, CLPPNG will take you on one hell of a ride that you will not soon forget.
CRACK:Â BODY AND BLOOD, WORK WORK, SUMMERTIME, TAKING OFF, GET UP, DOMINOES
WACK:Â DREAM
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#2014#review#album review#clppng#clipping#midcity#daveed diggs#rafael casal#noise hip hop#industrial#hip hop#experimental#rap#noise rap
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MIXTAPE REVIEW: VILLAGE PARTY - ALEX WILEY
Village Party – Alex Wiley
Fat Hasan Mixtape Review
7/10
Alex Wiley, yet another upcoming artist in the Chicago hip hop scene, has just released Village Party. He follows his 2013 project, Club Wiley, with an equally musical and eclectic piece that showcases Wiley’s continued growth as a songwriter. His diverse styles come together to form a restless piece that energetically goes wherever it pleases, with songs whose structures are nearly impossible to predict. Where the project wins is in its smooth delivery of such eccentric and original hip hop.
Wiley is often a character whose mind is hard to follow, whether it’s because of his quick and sometimes slurred flow or his lack of commitment to any one style, and Village Party is no different. Early on in the tape he addresses his A.D.D. and how it affects his style. On “Ideas,” he introduces the track by saying “doctor put me on that pill, now I can’t sit still, damn.” The whole project reflects this restlessness of his mind and often makes the listener feel at least one step behind Wiley.
Though Wiley seems to be working towards mastery of channeling his jittery mind into accessible and exciting music, he does appear to lack the control to stick to a theme for too long. This album does not have many recurring concepts other than his eagerness to begin his ascension from the local Chicago scene to a more nationwide level of recognition. Surely, he will do just that because he has established himself as a fresh and new musical presence in hip hop that has shown no signs of becoming boring anytime soon.
CRACK: SEE THE DAY, IDEAS
WACK: SPLASH GAME
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#alex wiley#review#2014#village party#chicago#chicago rap#drill#chance the rapper#kembe x#closed sessions#free mixtape
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ALBUM REVIEW: ANIMAL AMBITION - 50 CENT
Animal Ambition – 50 Cent
Fat Hasan Album Review
4/10
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is one of hip hop’s most successful artists and moguls with an entrepreneurial spirit that has kept him relevant for over 10 years. Since first bursting onto the scene with the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre and breathing new life into the increasingly inauthentic gangsta rap scene of the early 2000’s, his focus has been in areas beyond music and it has made a clear impact on the quality of his output. Now, after two lackluster albums and a 5 year hiatus, he is back with Animal Ambition, which is unfortunately yet another piece of evidence that 50 Cent’s days as the biggest rapper alive are forever behind him.
There is very little to say about this album, because there is very little to critically analyze. There is nothing special about the production, there are few standout lyrical moments, there are a couple solid hooks, and that’s about it. From top to bottom, this album shows that 50 Cent has nothing to say anymore beyond how rich he is. Considering how far removed he is from the experiences that spawned the incredible and haunting Get Rich or Die Tryin’, it’s understandable that his gangsta persona is essentially dead. But rappers like Jay-Z, who have uncannily similar rags-to-riches stories, have still managed to make stimulating music that can examine something other than a bank statement. 50 shows no such ability, droning on and on about his lavish purchases and spitting the most basic and uninteresting rich-guy raps that have come out in a while.
50 Cent had a finite number of stories to tell, and at the beginning of his career he told them brilliantly. He must have been well aware of this, which is why he wasted no time finding other sources of income once he got on. Unfortunately, though we would all like to see 50 make his musical comeback and bring us that Get Rich or Die Tryin’ or The Massacre energy back, it has become obvious that he should stick to his several other lanes now and leave the music to those who still have to tell their stories. There are some tracks that bump on this album (most of which are only available as bonus tracks on the deluxe edition), and there are not really any awful songs. But 50 Cent has still failed, because despite how exciting it may be to live this life that he details, the music that it produced is just fucking boring.
CRACK: IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT, THE FUNERAL (BONUS TRACK), FLIP ON YOU (BONUS TRACK)
WACK: TWISTED
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#2014#review#50 cent#curtis jacson#animal ambition#the massacre#get rich or die tryin#aftermath#interscope#g unit#g-unit#hip hop#album review
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ALBUM REVIEW: THE ART OF CHILL - NITTY SCOTT, MC
The Art Of Chill – Nitty Scott, MC
Fat Hasan Album Review
5/10
After gaining internet notoriety over the last few years with free releases, Nitty Scott, MC has just released her first retail project, The Art of Chill. Sidestepping the usual “sex sells” approach to marketing a female emcee, Scott has maintained a more conscious/backpacker style throughout her career and continues to do so with this first album.
As her pen name proclaims, Nitty Scott considers herself an emcee above all. In a hip hop climate that does not value the talents of a true emcee as much as it once did, artists like this can be very refreshing. But what today’s hip hop climate demands more than it used to is songwriting skill, and Nitty Scott shows a pretty large deficit in that area. This album tends to get very boring because it consists only of chill raps and meager hooks in the simplest song structure on each track. Her talents as an emcee are obvious, but today it is not unreasonable to expect more from a new artist than just good bars.
“Feng Shui” dons jazzy production from Ski Beatz, but running at nearly 5 minutes of verse-hook-verse-hook song structure it’s hard to make it through the whole track, especially when the hook is just “ay, I’m just on my feng shui” over and over. This trend follows the whole album, with very cool and laid-back production that inspired raps that were so laid-back they were just a bit boring. She goes socially conscious and feminist with tracks like “Lily of the Valley” and “Little Star,” but not in any striking manner.
She never hits you with that attention-grabbing track, but instead she sets the bar at a pretty low level of stimulation from the beginning and slowly brings it up throughout the project. Certain beats bring out a bit more energy from her, such as “Knowbody Knows” or “UFO,” but other than that this is not a particularly interesting or gripping project in any way. There are definitely songs here that are very good, and Nitty Scott has an obvious skill as an emcee, but there is not much artistry displayed here beyond the ability to write good verses. Fans of underground or backpacker rap that only want cool verses will enjoy this more than I did, but I tend to prefer a great songwriter to a good emcee.
CRACK: THE UNLEARNING, KNOWBODY KNOWS, UFO
WACK: FENG SHUI
-Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
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EP REVIEW: THE SHIFT - PRO ERA
The Shift – Pro Era
Fat Hasan EP Review
7/10
Pro Era, the young New York collective that rose to popularity after Joey Bada$$’s 1999, has released a new 5-track EP entitled The Shift. Though Bada$$ showed much promise with his debut tape, this blog started to lose faith after several lackluster releases. Pro Era’s tape, PEEP: The aPROcalypse, only had a few worthwhile tracks, Bada$$ sophomore mixtape Summer Knights was exceedingly disappointing, and we gave Pro Era’s last EP a (generous) 4/10. Though their team of producers remain excellent at what they do, and the rappers in the collective are all pretty good, these guys just don’t offer much to make them worthwhile over anybody else. Unexpectedly, this EP might be a sign that my analysis could be outdated.
Though the more well-known Pro Era MC’s take a backseat here, the underdogs leave the EP in pretty good hands. The beats are dope, and the raps on tracks like “Come Come” and “Hail Razor,” both entirely by people I never heard of other than CJ Fly, are excellent. “On My Life” features more familiar members Joey Bada$$ and Nyck Caution, and finally shows Bada$$ letting go of his ridiculous forced deep voice and just rapping again. The raps there aren’t as impressive as they were on previous tracks, but good enough to make it a decent track.
The final cypher gets dragged on way too long, as all the Pro Era cyphers do, but overall this EP is better than I had expected after considering their other projects. They still have a ways to go, but hopefully they continue down this road and start growing into a stronger group with better artists.
CRACK: COME COME, HAIL RAZOR
WACK: EXTORTION
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
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ALBUM REVIEW: ...AND THEN YOU SHOOT YOUR COUSIN - THE ROOTS
…And Then You Shoot Your Cousin – The Roots
Fat Hasan Album Review
5/10
The legendary Roots crew is back with their 11th LP as a group, but 16th album including their collaborative efforts. It would not be fallacious to claim that the group is seeing the height of their popularity 20 years into their career, and within that popularity they have found the opportunity to become more conceptually experimental and artistically free. 2011’s Undun was a tightly wound narrative of a black youth that was representative of the urban male population at large, and now in 2014 they are tackling similar issues in this quasi-concept album, …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin, named after a KRS-One lyric. This album is likely far different from any other hip hop record you have heard recently, and while it can certainly be hailed for its brave musical choices and conceptual experimentation, it ends up being a pretty dull listen with material that is only new in its delivery.
Questlove and Black Thought have described the album as an opera, with each track telling the stories of different characters that are somehow representative of either black America or hip hop culture. It was supposed to be a darkly satirical look at everymen characters through the lens of what hip hop portrays as normal. Black Thought, as usual, does an outstanding job as the main spokesman for these characters. His raps never falter throughout the entire project and he manages to make sure the story is told properly through each verse. “When The People Cheer” shows him as the “sex-addicted introvert,” “Understand” has the characters in the drug game and looking for God, and “The Dark” puts Black Thought in the place of an arrogant rapper to satirize the shit-talking culture of hip hop. Though they take a somewhat unique approach to these themes and characters, they are not breaking any new ground and they are doing it in a more boring way than these topics have been tackled in the past.
Unfortunately, the conceptual backbone is not enough to inspire you to return to this album. Even though this is meant to be looked at as one complete piece, the individual songs that come together to form this piece are not strong enough to stand alone. Most of the hooks are subpar, such as the childish singing on “Never,” or Modesty Lycan’s weird voice on “When The People Cheer.” And then you have 3 tracks not even performed by The Roots, one by Mercedes Martinez, and the last track is all Raheem Devaughn. While these tracks all contribute to the general theme, it’s a strange feel for a 30 minute album to have 5 tracks not by the album artist. Even the songs that are by The Roots are just not very gripping or interesting in any way. If they were tackling issues that haven’t already been tackled by hip hop artists over and over, then maybe their artistic approach to the topic would do the project better. The fact remains, however, that all of these stories have been told a million times and in more interesting ways.
This is the only Roots album I have heard so far that just did not do much of anything for me, but the approach is interesting enough for me to suggest checking it out. Their newly found artistic direction might never bring us another one of their classic hip hop records, but it will certainly remain intriguing and appreciable throughout their career, even if the payoff is not always as fulfilling as we may hope.
CRACK: THE DARK, THE UNRAVELING
WACK: N/A
-Â Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#2014#review#the roots#and then you shoot your cousin#undun#questlove#black thought#jimmy fallon#album review
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MAY 2014 RECAP: NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS
So much music gets released every week that it gets hard to keep up with everything, so we try to make it easier for you. In case you missed anything worth listening to, here are the projects released this month we think you should go back and check out.
Sincerely Yours – Iamsu! (buy here)
Bay Area rapper dropped his decent debut album this month, featuring a bit of struggle rap mixed into a fun project with great beats that perpetuate the sound of the new west coast. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
…And Then You Shoot Your Cousin – The Roots (buy here)
The legendary Roots crew released their first album since 2011’s excellent concept album, Undun. Though this is not a concept album in the same fashion, it is a tightly wound project that tells stories of impoverished characters and works to satirize the nature of hip hop culture. Check out The Crack House's review for it here.
The Tonite Show – Freddie Gibbs & The World’s Freshest (buy here)
Freddie Gibbs is back again with his second collaborative LP of the year. Though this is certainly no Piñata, it is still worth a listen for Gibbs’ great raps over smooth, jazzy production by DJ Fresh. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
Good To Be Home – Blu (buy here)
Though there is certainly some clutter and some less-than-memorable moments on this double album, it is another welcome addition in Blu’s dynamic discography that his fans will enjoy. And of course, despite any shortcomings in the project, Blu still murders every verse here.
House Rules – Slaughterhouse (free download here)
Slaughterhouse dropped this 10-track tape out of nowhere to tease their upcoming album, Glass House. There are some great tracks on here to keep you excited for the upcoming release.
Silk Pyramids – Meyhem Lauren & Buckwild (buy here)
New York rapper and Action Bronson affiliate, Meyhem Lauren, released Silk Pyramids this month, a collaborative album with veteran producer Buckwild.
Give Em What They Want – J Dilla (buy here)
In preparation for J Dilla’s upcoming posthumous album, The Diary, we’ve been blessed with this quick 3 track EP with 2 instrumentals. Though it’s shorter than we all would’ve liked, at least it’s a sign of more great things to come. Be on the lookout for The Diary.
Southsiders – Atmosphere (buy here)
The duo of underground veterans released their 7th LP this month, Southsiders. Though it doesn’t offer anything particularly new in their catalogue, it does continue their great tradition of personal music over amazing instrumentation. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
Strangeulation – Tech N9ne (buy here)
Tech N9ne dropped his 5th “Collabos” album this month, Strangeulation. Though the compilation album tends to be a difficult task to properly complete for most rap rosters, Strange Music manages to pull it off with their brand of incredible and aggressive lyricism. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
Rebirth – Deniro Farrar (buy here)
Deniro Farrar, the creator of “cult rap,” has just released his debut EP as a new signee of Vice records. Rebirth showcases a voice full of pain and struggle and a dynamic personality over spacey trap instrumentals that make for an interesting listening experience. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
Faces – Mac Miller (free download here)
Mac Miller is back again with a free release. This project, most likely his darkest yet, is an exceedingly long and occasionally frivolous, but there are some true gems on here that show Mac in some very depressing moods and situations in his life. Check out The Crack House’s review for it here.
We The Plug – HS87 (buy here)
Hit-Boy's crew just dropped their 2nd collaborative project, consisting of dope tracks from the likes of K. Roosevelt, Hit-Boy, and Audio Push, all over beats from one of the best production teams in hip hop today.
***This is only a list of EP’s, mixtapes, albums, and other full projects that were released over the month. If you’re more interested in songs that were released, check out our list of all the good singles that were dropped in May.
#recap#may 2014#mac miller#deniro farrar#iamsu#freddie gibbs#the roots#atmosphere#j dilla#tech n9ne#strange music
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MIXTAPE REVIEW: FACES - MAC MILLER
Faces – Mac Miller
Fat Hasan Mixtape Review
7/10
Since the release of Mac Miller’s critically despised debut album Blue Slide Park in 2011, he has been reinventing himself as a darker and more introspective artist. His sophomore album, Watching Movies With The Sound Off, was an impressive display of his growth and a somewhat grim examination of his troubling state of mind and his growing list of vices. Faces serves as an updated portrait of his psyche, cluttered with abstract questions that never get thought through and a self-loathing view of his lifestyle.
The production on this album is a bit more Odd Future-esque than what we’ve seen from Larry Fisherman, but on most of the tape he pulls it off well. The tape is far darker than anything he has released so far. Depression, isolation, drug abuse, and loneliness cloud over the mood of the entire 24-track project. “Happy Birthday” is an excellent track that expertly juxtaposes the happy nature of a birthday party with the exceedingly dark depictions of what a party in Mac’s life actually means. “Wedding” and “Funeral” are both tracks with excellent beats that detail important moments in life that have Mac pondering his own prospects for both.
The experimental nature of some of these tracks tends to really drag on and give the project a less cohesive feel. However, those tracks solidify Mac’s intention for this to simply be a mixtape, this is not a street album. It was not necessarily meant to be listened to all at once and though all the songs follow similarly dark themes, it is not very tightly held together. Songs like “Angel Dust” feel absurd for absurdity’s sake, and then “Friends” just sounds awful for the full 6 minutes. Though all of the bad songs on here still have some great lines here and there, they are dragged down by terrible hooks, strange production, and lackluster delivery from Mac.
This project often feels scatter-brained, but Mac gives hints throughout the tape that this was likely his intent. While detailing his addictions, Mac remains self-aware, like on “It Just Doesn’t Matter” when he says “I’m on drugs, all my new shit wack, remember that.” What wins this project is the respectable fact that Mac is clearly making music only for himself at this point, and is knowingly alienating more and more of the original fan base that brought him the huge levels of success he attained. He’s willing to grow as an artist in whatever direction he wants to and will not let the perception of him guide his growth. Though his new musical direction can come off as absurdist or just plain weird on this tape, it pays off on many of the tracks here.
CRACK: HERE WE GO, IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER, POLO JEANS, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, INSOMNIAK, RAIN
WACK: FRIENDS, ANGEL DUST, COLORS AND SHAPES
DOWNLOAD "FACES" HERE
 - Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#mac miller#2014#review#mixtape#faces#most dope#free mixtape#free download#watching movies with the sound off#blue slide park#rostrum records
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MAY 2014 RECAP: NOTEWORTHY SONGS
Here are the singles, album teasers, remixes, and just random promo tracks that were dropped over the last month that we feel are worth your time in case you missed any of them. Click on the song titles to go listen to them.
BELIEVE ME – LIL WAYNE & DRAKE
Weezy season has begun, with Wayne starting to drop singles for his final album Carter V. Produced by Vinylz & Boi-1da, both Drake and Wayne impress on this track.
D’USSE – LIL WAYNE
Weezy season continued this month with this track produced by Lee Major. Wayne seems to be getting back to his pre-Carter IV spitting, so we’re hoping for the best on Carter V right now.
BUGATTI BULLET HOLES – FREDDIE GIBBS
Gangsta Gibbs is killing it this year, with two albums out already and then singles like this. This was featured on producer Vanderslice’s Everything’s Awesome project, and sure enough, this is awesome.
ROSES – RAPSODY
9th Wonder’s first lady, Rapsody, hopped on this great Khrysis beat to let off some steam about being left off the XXL Freshmen List once again.
ME OK – JEEZY   Â
Jeezy came back with this Drumma Boy beat to deliver even more of his signature trap music that he has been able to dish out at the same high quality level since he came in the game.
DOWN ON ME – DJ MUSTARD
The hottest producer out right now, DJ Mustard, is gearing up for the release of his debut album this summer. Here’s a deliciously ratchet single for 10 Summers.
SOBER THOUGHTS – GOLDLINK
Canadian producer and Soulection member Kaytranada released a slew of previously unreleased tracks this month. Amongst the bunch was this gem from GoldLink, the DMV rapper who caught this blog’s attention with his excellent debut tape, The God Complex.
MISSION – LUPE FIASCO
Chicago veteran Lupe Fiasco, gearing up for the release of his upcoming Tetsuo & Youth, has dropped this as his first single for the album. This time, he’s aiming away from social and political commentary to give a heartfelt “fuck you” to cancer.
GLASS CASKET – DP
After first hearing about him through his single “Jabar” from last month, DP impressed once again with this track. Keep an eye out for his future releases, including the upcoming Designer Casket.
STIGMATA – AB-SOUL
Fresh off the announcement of his new album, These Days..., Soulo dropped this gem for us. Nothing needs to be said, it’s just more TDE greatness.
CALL OF DUTY – RAEKWON
Shallah Raekwon dug up the quiet, but never forgotten, Akon for this dope track. We all miss Akon’s voice, so check this out just for a nice bit of nostalgia.
SIX DEGREES – GHOSTFACE KILLAH
Ghostface hooked up with instrumental band BADBADNOTGOOD and Danny Brown for this gritty track, and the result is definitely worth checking out.
KINGDOM – COMMON
Common hooked up with Vince Staples for this new single for his upcoming LP, Nobody’s Smiling. The whole album will be produced like No I.D., who offers a great beat for this track.
***This list does not include all the dope tracks that were on different projects released this month, so check out our list of those projects if you feel like this list is lacking.
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EP REVIEW: REBIRTH - DENIRO FARRAR
Rebirth – Deniro Farrar
Fat Hasan EP Review
7/10
After releasing 5 independent street albums since his debut in 2010, North Carolina rapper Deniro Farrar signed to Vice Records in late 2013 and just released his label debut EP, Rebirth. Working with a dark, smoky, and smooth voice, Farrar makes brutally honest and personal music that he calls “cult rap,” which he describes as “a genre of music that connects with the listener through social commentary” and is meant to “uplift people going through hard times.” Despite his title for this type of rap, we all know this is essentially the same description attributed to the dreaded subgenre of “struggle rap.” What sets Farrar apart from most struggle rappers, however, is the genuine pain in his personal stories as well as his very clear understanding of the struggles in his community.
What is exciting about this tape is Farrar’s dynamic personality. Though he is certainly no 2Pac, his ability to go from socially conscious and caring to unapologetically gangsta and murderous—and feel authentic in both lanes—is definitely reminiscent of the late great Makaveli. On this short EP, he gives us a full profile of his life and mind. “Rebirth/Hold On” is a painfully personal look at his dismal past in the streets, “Notice” shows Farrar lending a helping hand to the struggling women he sees in his community, and “Tired” is a beautiful closer to the project in which he expresses his exhaustion with the way his life has gone so far. Then he throws in “Bow Down,” a great banger that tosses aside any empathy or emotion and goes straight for the grime.
Farrar’s only real shortcoming is his lyrical ability. The lines are extremely direct, and the rhymes are extremely predictable and simplistic. This is not always a bad thing, if the artist can come up with another unique way of telling his story. Schoolboy Q, for example, also is not the most lyrical artist, but his high-energy delivery and songwriting ability makes up for that deficit. Farrar is a good songwriter, though rarely experiments with different song structures. And other than his voice being naturally captivating, there is nothing unique about his delivery. Considering his type of struggle and empathetic brand of gangsta rap is nothing quite new, he could really benefit from something extra that makes him stand out.
Overall this is a solid EP, and as the first project of his that I have listened to it made me eager to see what he does next. Farrar showcases an excellent ability to really give his audience a raw and unflinching look at his life, all over a great sonic foundation of spacey trap instrumentals. Fans of gangsta rap will enjoy his brutal honesty, his empathetic approach to storytelling, and his hypnotically gripping voice. This will not make you smile, it won’t make you happy, and it won’t give you any earworm hooks to get caught in your head. This will take you a dark place, but if you’re willing to go then you will surely appreciate the ride.
CRACK: REBIRTH/HOLD ON, BOW DOWN, TIRED
WACK: N/A
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#review#2014#deniro farrar#rebirth#patriarch#vice records#vice#noisey#warner bros#hip hop#cult rap#north carolina#denzel curry
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ALBUM REVIEW: SOUTHSIDERS - ATMOSPHERE
Southsiders – Atmosphere
Fat Hasan Album Review
7/10
The famed underground Minneapolis rap duo Atmosphere has just released their 7th album, Southsiders. Consisting of emcee Slug and producer Ant, the group has spent the last 17 years solidifying their place in the underground and being lauded in the independent and alternative hip hop lane. Atmosphere has always been praised for Slug’s deeply introspective and personal lyrics, and this album continues that reputation with the rapper examining himself further.
Southsiders has Slug dealing with his ego, his vices, his mortality, and of course his love life, all over excellent production from Ant. The album starts with the beautiful “Camera Thief,” in which Slug contemplates not only his own ego, but hip hop’s obsession with ego as well. “I’ll be in court holding a pitchfork before I let the contest outlast the sport,” he says on the track. He questions the appeal of fame and fortune on “Star Shaped Heart,” when he humanizes the wealthy with his hook: “if you lick my wounds, it tastes like money.” “Arthur’s Song” is yet another song in which Slug details his affinity for whiskey, but what is so impressive about the track is the brilliant production that sonically sets the scene of a dimly lit bar as Slug discusses his alcohol use. Also included is “Flicker,” the touching tribute to his friend and fellow emcee Eyedea, who passed away from an accidental overdose in 2010.
The most visited theme on the album is love, often through Slug’s stories of failed romances. “Mrs. Interpret” shows him helplessly in love with a woman, but unable to understand the way her mind works or what she means when she speaks. “My Lady Got Two Men” is an excellent track in which Slug details how his lady is having an affair with somebody who gives her nothing positive, but by the end of the song he reveals that these two different men are actually him. And then there’s “Kanye West,” the single that garnered the most attention due to its namesake, though it has nothing to do with Yeezus himself. Slug said this love song is “about caring about something so much that you no longer care about how people perceive you in regards to it,” using Kanye West as the personification of such behavior.
Though the project has few low points, there is also no new ground being broken. Atmosphere’s recent releases have all felt a bit ordinary because their sound and subject matter has not changed much. Though they are still great at what they do, after such a long career it just feels customary now because they have not made great steps in any new directions. The main thing holding this album back is the rest of their work, because this is not their best and it is not particularly memorable when compared to some of their better albums. Southsiders is definitely a step back in the right direction after their forgettable 2011 album, The Family Sign, but as someone with faith in their talent, I’m still waiting for an album that is more than just business as usual as it appears to be on this one.
CRACK: CAMERA THIEF, ARTHUR’S SONG, SOUTHSIDERS, MRS. INTERPRET, JANUARY ON LAKE STREET
WACK: THE WORLD MIGHT NOT LIVE THROUGH THE NIGHT
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
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ALBUM REVIEW: STRANGEULATION - TECH N9NE
Strangeulation – Tech N9ne
Fat Hasan Album Review
8/10
The Kansas, Missouri rapper, ringleader of one of the biggest cult-followings in rap, and God of the independent hip hop game, Tech N9ne, has released his 5th installment in his “Collabos” series, Strangeulation. 14 albums deep and Tech N9ne still remains one of the best emcees alive. His multi-syllabic rhyme schemes and flows are untouchable and they continue to baffle me with their complexity in nearly every verse of his. This highly energetic project is no different, displaying top-notch lyricism from everyone involved and spectacular production throughout.
The albums in Tech’s “Collabos” series are more like compilation albums for his Strange Music roster, and they prove that this label is one of the only in hip hop that is able to put out great compilation albums. G.O.O.D. Music and Young Money are examples of heavy-hitting rosters that have put out weak compilation albums in the past, but Strange Music continues to bring it’s A game throughout the series and on this album. As soon as the album begins, the bar is set high for the caliber of rhymes that follow it, but they never disappoint.
“Make Waves” is an excellent track, using a metal hook from Tyler Lyon and fusing rock and rap into a dark track that never comes off as gimmicky. “Great Night” is a relatively simple turn-up track but it bangs so hard that it still stands out. “Which One” takes a more traditional hip hop approach, where Tech, Murs, and Godemis drop the typical double-time quick raps that Strange Music artists are known for and just rap their asses off at a normal flow. “Hard” is one of the few low points on the album because of a laughable hook and Murs’ inability to stand alone against Tech, but it gets right out of the way to make room for the rest of the ferocity that follows.
The first 10 tracks maintain such a high energy and work so well as lyric-heavy bangers that the album starts to feel strange after “American Horror Story” when the tracks start to lose the energy and get a bit more personal. “Fear” is a beautiful and heartbreaking track about Tech’s mother getting Alzheimer’s, but it is so personal that it feels like it belongs on a solo album rather than on this adrenaline rush of a compilation album. It’s a very strange dip in mood that feels too abrupt and unnecessary a change for this particular project. The rest of the album continues with tracks like “Na Na,” the token sex song, and “The Calling,” which intimately details Tech’s battles with alcoholism and addiction. None of these are bad songs by any means, but they just feel extremely out of place after the first 60% of the album consisted nonstop aggression.
Despite the project having a few unfitting tracks, there is rarely a dull moment here. Strange Music producer Seven supplied excellent instrumentals throughout, and the Strange Music roster came through and killed their verses. Tech N9ne described the album as a display of how Strange Music has the music industry in a chokehold. On a lyrical level, these guys cannot be fucked with. Groups like Army of the Pharoahs and Slaughterhouse could hold their own against Strange Music on a lyrical level, but Tech N9ne and his roster still reign supreme in the category of these insane lyricist groups, because they know how to make great music and not just how to rap. Though this project seems to be aimed at Tech N9ne’s already established fan base, even first time listeners will surely be intrigued to dive further into his work. This is a great compilation album that I strongly recommend getting.
CRACK: MAKE WAVES, GREAT NIGHT, WHICH ONE, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, STINK
WACK: HARD
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#strangeulation#tech n9ne#tech nine#strange music#rittz#krizz kaliko#murs#collabos#hip hop#rap#album review#2014#review
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ALBUM REVIEW: SINCERELY YOURS - IAMSU!
Sincerely Yours – Iamsu!
Fat Hasan Album Review
6/10
California rapper Iamsu! has now released his debut album, Sincerely Yours, after a few years of gaining attention online through his mixtapes. The first peak of his notoriety came last year with the release of his critically acclaimed collaborative mixtape Million Dollar Afro with Problem. Iamsu! has found his level of comfort with the ratchet sound of the new west coast and works within its bounds well enough to be recognized for it, but he remains not quite original or interesting enough to be especially lauded for it.
The bulk of this album bears a striking resemblance to the production style of DJ Mustard, but where Mustard goes for more plain and minimalistic instrumentals, the beats here seem to add an extra hint of color that really bring them to life. For example, my favorite beat on the tape is “Back On Your Mind,” has the bouncy synth bass, the 808 kick and clap pattern, and the repetitive piano melody all in the fashion of DJ Mustard. But then there’s an extra synth dancing in the background playing a beautifully simple melody that takes hold of the entire track and keeps your attention. Though the production on this album does bear such a resemblance to DJ Mustard, it does not sound as formulaic and repetitive as it did on YG’s My Krazy Life, and Iamsu! sounds right at home on it.
Iamsu! is not a particularly strong emcee, but he has a great singing voice and a knack for autotuned hooks. His singing on the project is the strong point of most of the songs here. Songs like “Intro,” and the hook to “Only That Real” showcase his obvious ability to be a great hook-guy in hip hop that could easily take the place of someone like Rich Homie Quan and sound even better. However, he does overuse the autotune a bit on tracks like “Stop Signs,” where his hook sounds more like autotuned melodic gargling than actual singing.
Thematically, this album is a bit scattered but it all fits as a portrait of Iamsu!. Unfortunately, his story is just not really interesting on any of the more conceptual or introspective songs here. Lyrically there is very little to say about anything on this album. He can keep your attention with the beats, the songwriting, and his hooks, but the verses are pretty forgettable. “Sincerely Yours” serves as a decent centerpiece to the album, where he goes over the current state of his life and career, but once again it just doesn’t stick out compared to the hooks and beats of the club tracks on here like “Only That Real” or “Back on Your Mind.”
Iamsu! is definitely a talented songwriter, but his talents lie more in crafting club hits than in rapping. Iamsu! is just unique enough to have a spot in the new west coast, but this album is no My Krazy Life. I see him being pretty replaceable in the current scene, so he’ll either need to rap better or make a sound that can further stand out compared to what the rest of the coast is on right now. This may not be the strongest debut album, but there are definitely some great tracks on here that make it worth checking out. Â
CRACK: INTRO, ONLY THAT REAL, BACK ON YOUR MIND, WHAT YOU BOUT
WACK: GIRLS, ASCENSION, PROBLEMS
- Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
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ALBUM REVIEW: THE TONITE SHOW - FREDDIE GIBBS & THE WORLD'S FRESHEST
The Tonite Show – Freddie Gibbs & The World’s Freshest
Fat Hasan Album Review
7/10
Only two months after releasing the incredible Piñata with Madlib, Freddie Gibbs is back with another collaborative album. This time, The Tonite Show finds Gibbs working with The World’s Freshest, aka DJ Fresh, who produces most of this short album. This very cool, laid-back project flaunts remarkably smooth and jazzy production with Gibbs’ rough voice adding the perfect amount of grit to each track. Some poor feature verses and a lack of continuity or cohesion keep it from being a great album, but it is nonetheless a solid release with enough replay value to make it worth getting.
The album starts off strong with “Keep It Gangsta,” which is an amazing track with some beautiful saxophone throughout the instrumental. The streak continues through the next few tracks until “Interlude,” which is a great instrumental that feels like a film-noir score that could have only been better by being longer. Unfortunately, after that track the album loses some of its strength and does not live up to the heights of the first half. Every instrumental on this project is fantastic, and Gibbs does not deliver a bad verse, but the features are to blame for most of the faults on the rest of the album. There are tracks like “Pussy Got Slap” where E-40 makes it so hard to be taken seriously that it is just an uncomfortable eye-roller of a song, even though the beat is on the same level of excellence as the rest of the album. “On Me” is another great beat that Gibbs flows over expertly, but Problem comes through with a really elementary verse that doesn’t deserve to be on the song. The other features on the album like Sir Michael Rocks, G-Wiz, and Trae The Truth are not bad but they aren’t particularly impressive either. They all feel very expendable on this project.
Because of the strength of the two main artists, this album is a very satisfying listen. Though it suffers from poor contributions from outside parties, Gibbs and Fresh remain at the top of their game throughout the album. The absence of any thematic cohesion makes it feel like it could have worked better as a mixtape, but the high points on the project are justification enough for it be a retail LP. If you are a fan of Gibbs or jazzy production, then you will get incredible servings of both on this album.
CRACK: KEEP IT GANGSTA, G LIKE THAT,BITCHES DOPE & DOLLERS, INTERLUDE
WACK: PUSSY GOT SLAP
-Â Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#review#2014#freddie gibbs#gangsta gibbs#the worlds freshest#dj fresh#the tonite show#tonight show#hip hop#album review#e-40#trae the truth#sir michael rocks
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ALBUM REVIEW: PTSD - PHAROAHE MONCH
P.T.S.D. – Pharoahe Monch
Fat Hasan Album Review
7/10
One of the most underappreciated emcees of this genre’s history has released his 4th solo LP, P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Often forgotten and wrongfully left off of “best emcee” lists, this half of the 90s duo Organized Konfusion is still on his game in 2014 with this quasi-sequel to his 2011 album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). Whereas WAR was Monch’s rebellion against the system as an independent artist, PTSD is a detailed account of the struggle that accompanies his battle and the emotional toll it has taken on him.
Monch incorporates many interesting themes throughout the tracks on this album. Skits like all three parts of “The Recollection Facility” give the album a storyline similar to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where they are attempting to go through all of Monch’s dark thoughts and erase them to restore his sanity and happiness. “Damage” is an interesting track from the point of view of a bullet that almost takes a political stance, showing the bullet as a bloodthirsty killer. This track is not the first time Monch has used this concept, but it is still very well-written and thought provoking. The second verse of “Time2” shows Monch rhyming with a severe stutter, which gives this mentally distraught character a very real feel in a unique way. “Losing My Mind” shows his suicidal state after returning from war as he plays Russian roulette during the hook, and also discusses how low-income black families don’t usually acknowledge mental illness because their lives are tough enough on a day-to-day basis.
Though this album consists largely of great songs, a number of them do not feel at home on this project. “Bad MF,” a song with great verses and a hard beat, doesn’t really fit into the project well and seems thematically out of place. Its hook is also very underwhelming and campy, with a “pussy pop” punchline that is a big eye-roller. “Rapid Eye Movement” is another track that has some of the best rapping on the whole album, but it feels a bit useless and shallow on such an emotional album. “Scream” has an almost psychedelic rock hook that just does not do it for me.
This is a very good album from an emcee that has not lost the tiniest bit of technical skill in his 20+ years in the game. He makes the emotional moments feel as real and as personal as they can, and he saves a lot of his rhymes to touch on social and political commentary as well. His deep content and excellent rap skills are refreshing, but this album tends to fall short of excitement. Running only 45 minutes long, it is definitely worth supporting and listening to, but we have heard better from Pharoahe.
CRACK: TIME2, DAMAGE, RAPID EYE MOVEMENT, D.R.E.A.M.
WACK: BAD MF, SCREAM
-Â Fat Hasan (@fathasan)
#review#2014#pharoahe monch#organized konfusion#ptsd#hip hop#rap#music#album review#black thought#the roots#talib kweli
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