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Hip Hop

LBCK – Carpe Diem [feat. C Plus]

LBCK

This is our jam right here. Long Beach-based duo LBCK serve up a very special soul-sampling disco-driven selection w/ latest track “Carpe Diem” featuring emcee C Plus. We can’t wait to hear more from the LBCK crew; nice track, bros!

LBCK california (Official)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
08-22-13

Sabi feat. Tyga – Cali Love

sabi

“Cali Love” = 100% easy no brainer. Sabi, whom was a featured artist on Cobra Starship’s hit “You Make Me Feel” a couple years back links up Mr. “Rack City” bro Tyga for the nearly perfect pop/R&B of “Cali Love”. Sabi’s got an EP of the same name “Cali Love” due in October.

Sabi california (Purchase)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
08-19-13

Justine Skye – Messing With You (feat. Joey Bada$$ & AZ)

justine

Brooklyn songstress Justine Skye hooks up everybody’s fave Joey Bada$$ (& apparently 90’s MC AZ, although it’s unclear just where he appears on the track) for the electro-tinged mid-tempo jam “Messing With You”. Justine’s “Everyday Living” EP is due next week, August 20th.

Justine Skye (Tumblr)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
08-16-13

Iamsu – Let Go (ft. Tank)

iamsu

Bay Area rapper Iamsu breaks off a little something fresh for the ladies (and our R&B cooler loving dudes too) w/ the new Tank-featuring “Let Go”.

Iamsu (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
08-07-13

JJ Doom – Banished (Beck Remix)

beck remix jj doom

Beck has turned his ever experimenting hand back to hip hop in a move anyone would find hard to predict, on this remix of JJ Doom’s “Banished” (JJ Doom = MF Doom + Jneiro Janel).

The results are certainly ‘interesting’, and not in an “I don’t like it but can’t be arsed to say why” way but more in a thought provoking, intriguing way; Beck’s raw and laid back acoustic instrumentation offers a whole new dimension to the original and gives you plenty of reasons to hold out for it’s full duration.

Out on Lex 20th August.

By Nathan Hetherington

Beck (Official)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
08-06-13

Blitz The Ambassador – African In New York

Blitz The Ambassador - African In New York

Ghanaian-born New York MC offers up the nicely layered/100% bombs/aptly titled “African in New York”. Do not sleep.

Blitz The Ambassador (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

brown8

reviewed by
07-29-13

Rick Ross – I Wonder Why

rickross

The MMG Bawse snarls through an intense commentary of the Trayvon Martin trial/decision on latest Mastermind release “I Wonder Why”. Ross, who is one of the best pickers of beats in rap, selects for a cold high-drama rumbler for “I Wonder Why” that is as equally intimidating as it is impactful. We love “Aston Martin Music” but Rozay is at his best on these grimier, socially current sort of records. A++

Rick Ross (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown8

reviewed by
07-29-13

Audio Push – Shine

audiopush

Bolstered by a smooth Janet Jackson “I Get So Lonely” sample, “Shine” is new from West Coast newcomers Audio Push. Break it down, break it down.


Audio Push california (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

brown8

reviewed by
07-26-13

Buddy – Them Draws

buddy-them-draws

L.A. rapper Buddy, who’s signed to Pharrell’s iamOTHER label, drops off a summery, definitely West Coast-y, new jawn produced by Chris O’Bannon. Look for Buddy’s Idle Time project out soon.

Buddy california (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

brown93

reviewed by
07-25-13