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Hip Hop

Kanye West – To the World (ft. R. Kelly)

Chitown heavyweights cut up something fresh on the latest leak (full) from Ye’s forthcoming Cruel Summer release expected September 18th.

Kanye West (Official)
R Kelly (Official)

Rating 8

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reviewed by
09-12-12

Marijuana Deathsquads – Top Down

The sultry tones of Polica’s Channy Leaneagh highlight the cooled out “Top Down”, the latest from Gayngs man Ryan Olson’s side proj Marijuana Deathsquads. We’re feeling this #fridaycooler.

Marijuana Deathsquads – Top Down

Marijuana Deathsquads (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
09-07-12

Kanye West, Jay-Z & Big Sean – Clique (Prod. Hit Boy)

So yeah, THIS just dropped. First, the good: Hit Boy’s beat here is bananas, maybe one of his best productions to date. …And the bad: MEDIUM SEAN. Sean’s verse, which occupies the track’s leadoff slot is capital-A Atrocious. Like they couldn’t have put Pusha there? or 2 Chainz? OJ Da Juiceman? anyone? Get like b3sci and #fastforwardto1:52.

Kanye West, Jay-Z & Big Sean – Clique (Prod. Hit Boy)

Kanye West (Official)

Rating 8.5

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reviewed by
09-06-12

Curt@!n$ – Ruthless (Feat. Schoolboy Q)

BK rapper Curt@!n$ grabs a Biggie sample and Schoolboy Q for his return to the hip hop blogosphere on new track “Ruthless”. Squarely in the “old school feel” category ,”Ruthless” rumbles & grinds to a relatively strong listen for much of its four minutes ten duration. We’ll be on the lookout for more new material from Curt@!n$ as a new mixtape announcement can’t be too far behind this new track.

Curt@!n$ – Ruthless (Feat. Schoolboy Q)

Curt@!n$ (Twitter)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
09-05-12

Lecrae – Mayday (Feat. Big K.R.I.T. & Ashthon Jones)

Houston gospel rapper Lecrae’s got a new album in the offing Gravity due Sept. 4. “Mayday”, which features K.R.I.T. & American Idol-alum Ashthon Jones, is the latest leak from the project. Ashthon’s powerhouse vocals turn what’s an otherwise ok-to-good rap track to a great rap track. We knew Ashthon could sing; but, girl, we need more! A K.R.I.T.-produced Ashthon Jones album, make it happen!

Lecrae – Mayday (Feat. Big K.R.I.T. & Ashthon Jones)

Lecrae (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-30-12

Phreshy Duzit – Make My Money (Feat. Rich Flyer & Cory Gunz)

“Make My Money”, new from NYC MC Phreshy Duzit (we hadn’t heard of him either but he does have a new mixtape that dropped yesterday that’s pretty fresh), features one of the best (and most idiosyncratic) beats of the year. Equal parts Kirko Bangz “Drank in My Cup” and some wild gospel vocal & organ samples, the track’s seemingly disparate dynamic works phenomenally well; add to the mix solid features from Rich Flyer & (in maybe his first b3sci feature) Cory Gunz and you have all the ingredients of a standout rap track.

Phreshy Duzit – Make My Money (Feat. Rich Flyer & Cory Gunz)

Phreshy Duzit (Facebook)

Rating 8.2

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reviewed by
08-28-12

Joey Fatts – Die Rich (Feat. Vince Staples) (Prod. Cardo)

Check this fresh new Cardo production c/o LBC MC Joey Fatts. The vibed out “Die Rich” is excerpted from the SoCal rapper’s Chipper Jones Vol. 2 mixtape.

Joey Fatts – Die Rich (Feat. Vince Staples) (Prod. Cardo)

Joey Fatts (Twitter)

Rating 8.1

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reviewed by
08-27-12

Supreme Cuts & Haleek Maul – M00N

M00N is the latest from Supreme Cuts & Haleek Maul’s upcoming collaborative mixtape Chrome Lips. A definite improvement over first single “Dummy”, “M00N”, which samples King Crimson’s “Moonchild” (King Crimson, still the shit), bangs, clangs & smangs boosted into stratospheric heights via some pretty fresh sounding SC atmospherics.

Supreme Cuts & Haleek Maul – M00N

Supreme Cuts & Haleek Maul (Facebook)

Rating 8.3

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reviewed by
08-22-12

OUTSIDE LANDS 2012: Looking Back + Interview w/ Caveman

​Safely returned to the mid-August L.A. swelter, we took to the airwaves of Virgin Mobile Live on Friday to recap last weekend’s Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival in San Francisco. The beautiful cloudy chill of Golden Gate Park played gracious host to an immaculate lineup of artists from all eras and most genres past, present, and future. Check out our recap below featuring music from some of our favorite Outside Lands artists as well as an interview we did backstage on Saturday with New York band Caveman.

SETLIST

Little Stevie Wonder – Fingertips (Part 2) [extended edit] Tame Impala – Lucidity
MICS UP: Metallica – For Whom The Bell Tolls
Portugal. The Man – So American
Birdy – People Help the People (Cherry Ghost Cover)
Foo Fighters – Big Me
MICS UP: *Bruce Rave w/ Raves Fave
*Bloc Party – Team A
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)
Caveman – Thankful
INTERVIEW w/ Caveman backstage at Outside Lands, SF 2012
Big Boi & Theophilus London – She Said OK (Feat. & Tre Luce) [Clean]

Click here for more coverage on Outside Lands 2012.

Outside Lands (Official)

reviewed by
08-19-12

DJ Khaled – They Ready (Feat. J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Kendrick Lamar)

DJ Khaled dropped three not one, not two (crazy Khaled), but THREE new tracks from his upcoming Kiss The Ring LP on Funkmaster Flex’s show tonight. The J. Cole-produced Kendrick and K.R.I.T.-featuring “They Ready” is the easy standout of the trio. Get a sample below. p.s. Khaled you misspelled K.Dot’s first name on the single artwork. K-E-N-D-R-I-C-K.

DJ Khaled – They Ready (Feat. J. Cole, Big K.R.I.T., Kendrick Lamar)

DJ Khaled florida (Facebook)

Rating 8.4

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reviewed by
08-15-12

SPACEGHOSTPURRP – Black Swamp

The Raider Klan general dropped off a little something new today in the form of the spooky a.f. “Black Swamp”. The b3sci crew have been doing the “Creepy Walk” (which looks something like praying mantis hands combined with the way Dick Dastardly sort of hobbles about like he’s got a serious lower back problem) all day to this joint.

SPACEGHOSTPURRP – Black Swamp

SPACEGHOSTPURRP (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

reviewed by
08-14-12

Lupe Fiasco – Lamborghini Angels

Lupe’s latest from Food & Liquor II (which drops 25th September) sees the Chicago MC jump on a hypnotic-sounding jawn c/o rising producer Mr. Inkredible.

Lupe Fiasco (Facebook)

Rating 8.1

reviewed by
08-13-12