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Hip Hop

Galimatias & Joppe – One Step Back (Feat. GoldLink)

galimatiasjoppe

Galimatias, the Danish producer you may recognize from his very good collaborations with Alina Baraz, turns to hip hop production for this perfectly pitched collaboration w/ Joppe and VA-based emcee GoldLink. “The God Complex” project from GoldLink is due soon.

Galimatias denmark (Soundcloud)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
02-24-14

Willie The Kid & Bronze Nazareth feat. Roc Marciano – Avalon

Willie The Kid & Bronze Nazareth f Roc Marciano Avalon

Grand Rapids MI’s A-Team of emcee Willie The Kid & producer/rapper Bronze Nazareth link up for a 13-track collaborative album The Living Daylights due out Tuesday the 11th. The Roc Marciano-featuring “Avalon” interpolates the same David McCallum “The Edge” sample that Dr Dre used on “The Next Episode”.

Willie The Kid (Twitter)

Rating 8.9

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reviewed by
02-05-14

Ellie Goulding – Life Round Here (Feat. Angel Haze) (James Blake Cover)

Ellie Goulding Life Round Here (Feat. Angel Haze)

Birthed straight from the head of the indie zeitgeist, megastar Ellie Goulding and mega-twitter user Angel Haze team for a visceral, spaced-down very good cover of James Blake’s “Life Round Here”.

Ellie Goulding (Official)

Rating: 8.8

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reviewed by
02-03-14

Smoke DZA – Just My Thoughts (Prod. By Flying Lotus)

smoke DZA

NYC’s highest FlyLo stan (guessing) Smoke DZA takes to Until the Quiet Comes instrumental “Getting There” and clocks through a solid run of bars doing well to smoothly navigate the tricky beat. “Just My Thoughts” is taken from Steve-O’s “We Are Alive #7” podcast coming out next week.

Smoke DZA newyork: (Facebook)

Rating 8.0

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reviewed by
01-29-14

Bishop Nehru – You Stressin’ (Produced by Disclosure)

Bishop Nehru

Team Disclosure turns rap for their latest production project, collab’ing with NY newcomer Bishop Nehru for the space age boom bap of “You Stressin'”. And while of somewhat of the School of J Dilla in sound, the Disclosure style does translate well here while still sounding like, well, Disclosure. Mr. Nehru does well too here; seemingly able to flow effortlessly on top what could be a difficult track stylistically for a lesser MC.

Bishop Nehru (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
01-21-14

Isaiah Rashad – RIP Kevin Miller (Prod. by Black Metaphor)

isaiahrashaddd

Producer Black Metaphor links up TDE’s latest signee Isaiah Rashad with a vibey jazz-laced instrumental for new track “RIP Kevin Miller”. The track shows off Rashad’s inventive flows and skilled lyricism and indicative that Top Dawg Ent. is the right stylistic home for the Chattanooga-based rapper. Isaiah Rashad’s anticipated “Cilvia” EP is out soon.

Isaiah Rashad (Twitter)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
01-14-14

Tinashe – 2 On feat. ScHoolBoy Q

tinashe

Tinashe’s our B. The L.A.-based R&B songstress is joined on new track “2 On” by Black Hippy bro ScHoolBoy Q and producer DJ Mustard (Mustard on the beat ho, fyi). “2 On” is, with the proper push, R&B radio hit single material; so (looking up Tinashe’s label now) RCA get that promo sorted and get “2 On” in rotation. Thx, <3 B3SCI.

Tinashe kentucky (Twitter)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
01-13-14

Dag Savage – God Body ft. CO$$, Gonja Sufi & Blu

dag savage

Dag Savage, the duo of Johaz and Exile, link up w/ SoCal vets CO$$, Gonja Sufi & Blu for the comic book villain rap of “God Body”. “God Body” is excerpted from Dag Savage’s upcoming The Warning Tape which is itself a preview of the duo’s debut E&J LP out February 4th.

Dag Savage – God Body ft. CO$$, Gonja Sufi & Blu

Dag Savage california (Official)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
01-08-14