All The New Hip Hop You need this Weekend
Happy Weekend Fellow 88ers. Its a Bitter Sweet day in Hip Hop. We got some great music for you, but as the work day came to an end we found out that LEGENDARY MASTER LYRICIST and STYLE GOD, GIFT OF GAB passed away today. May he Transition in Peace. We have been mourning the passing of so many of our Heros and Loved ones back to back. This is Reality. Give them their Flowers while they can smell them yall. Live like John Wilson. His passing has united and ignited our scene in South Florida. Hopefully GABs Passing does the same to the whole Emcee Community world wide. Here’s some New Music, don’t just treat it like its going to be here forever.
Rest In Peace GIFT OF GAB, May your music inspire and challange us for years to come.
GIFT OF GAB MIXES
Front man of the Emcee, Producer/DJ Duo BLACKALICIOUS and founder of QUANNUM PROJECTS Crew and Record Label, GIFT OF GAB is remembered as one of the Masters of this craft by his peers who are all Masters of the art and Element of Emceeing. Raised in Sacramento California and building his skills through High School against some of the Bay Areas best up and comers, I once heard Gab tell a story about how he got his ass smoked in cyphers every day, cats cracking about how fat he was, how awkward he was, all sorts of insults. He recalls how it just made him practice at home every day and keep coming back to refine his skill, until he became the one who was untouchable and crushing everyone in any cypher he jumped in. He said thats how he mastered so many styles, because everyone in the west had their own style and he had to be able to keep up with all of them and say, I can do that too. Through this era of honing his the skill he would later become legendary for, he met his DJ and Producer CHEIF XCEL in Highschool, and they later became BLACKALICIOUS, a duo that changed the landscape of Underground hip hop with their single Swan Lake, their EP Melodica and A2G, and their Debut Album NEA, which was a huge shift from the Electro Grime of COMPANY FLOW, and East Coast Feel of the Rawkus Era into a more organic and experimental approach to production and lyricism. GIFT OF GAB blew all our minds with ALPHABET AEROBICS, and to see Daniel Radcliff doing it word for word on Late Night filled my heart with Joy. To later see my Step Daughter and a bunch of kids learning every word to the song on Tik Tok made me even happier. If only GAB had been healthy enough to enjoy the fruit of his labor. In the years leading up to 2020 Gift of Gab, birth name TIMOTHY JEROME PARKER suffered from Kidney Failure and was on Dialysis twice a week. In January of 2020 he received a kidney transplant, but after a year and 6 months, on June 18th GIFT OF GAB passed away of “Natural Causes”. June will forever hold a different Meaning for Lyricist in South Florida from now on. May we bump his music loud every June, as it is one of the Hottest Months of the Year, and he was one of the Hottest Lyricist Ever to grace a Microphone. TRANCEND IN POWER KING GAB.
EVIDENCE: UNLEARNING VOL 1
Started looking for new music to report on and found out our favorite Weatherman from RHYMESAYERS RECORDS just dropped his highly anticipated New Album “UNLEARNING VOL 1“. That’s right, EVIDENCE, the “Dialated Slow Flower” who blessed us with one of the best albums of 2018 ( WEATHER OR NOT Literally rekindled my love for Hip Hop that year. It was the catalyst that launched me down the road that lead to WVCC Radio), is back with his own collection of Corona Era inspired bangers, after having produced both a full instrumental album, “SQUIRREL TAPE INSTRUMENTALS VOL 1” and BROTHER ALI‘s entire “SECRETS & ESCAPES” . I am halfway through the album as I write this an already have been floored by PARDON ME & The BOLDY JAMES accompanied ALL OF THAT SAID, which had already made us fans at WVCC Radio with their respective videos, but didn’t prepare us for the brutal honesty of WONT GIVE UP THE DANGER feat MURKAGE DAVE who makes your soul and bone marrow cry with his hook, or the Jazz Piano driven MOVING ON UP feat CONWAY THE MACHINE. This album is solid all the way through. For a little more insight, check out this Press Release from RHYMESAYERS and make sure you cop the Vinyl, CD or Tape on RHYMESAYERS.COM
From Rhymesayers.com –
In March 2020, right as the whole world was entering into a transitional phase, Evidence released a single titled “Unlearning”. Now, a year later, Evidence launches the campaign for his upcoming album, Unlearning Vol. 1, picking up where the single of the same name left off, and going beyond.
Throughout his career, Evidence has always been adept at both staying true to his roots and evolving as he grows and learns from life experiences, including recognizing when the time comes to unlearn. During the campaign for his last album, Weather or Not (2018), he expressed a desire to close the chapter on the weather-related theme that had been a staple of his solo career to that point. Unlearning Vol. 1 not only sees that vision come to life, but shines brilliantly in the process.
Unlearning Vol. 1 pairs Evidence’s own production with works from The Alchemist, Nottz, Sebb Bash, Animoss, Mr. Green, V Don, Khrysis, Daringer and EARDRUM (QThree). This highlights perhaps an undervalued skill of Ev’s—his ability to collaborate with a multitude of producers on a project, while still creating an album with a cohesion and consistency rarely found in such extensive collaboration. While the album’s musical soundscape sets the scene, it’s Ev’s gift for relatable yet inventively clever writing that really paints the picture, continually pulling the listener in. That said, a small but powerful cast of guest appearances also decorate the landscape, courtesy of stellar performances from Boldy James, Conway The Machine, Fly Anakin, Navy Blue, and Murkage Dave.
Unlearning Vol. 1 embodies the sound and feeling of pure artistic expression, capturing a moment in time where marketability, album sales & streaming potential, and the desire to please anyone other than the artist themselves, are all just an afterthought. As one could expect, such freedoms allowed Evidence to tap into something special that sounds engaging and unique, and also remains true to his foundation. In essence, Unlearning Vol. 1 finds Evidence at yet another creative peak, creating a listening experience poised to catch the attention of new listeners while strengthening his core fanbase.
TYLOR THE CREATOR – CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST
After winning a Grammy in 2020 with IGOR, ODD FUTURE founder TYLER THE CREATOR has returned with a new album and a new name, call him TYLER BAUDELAIRE, and Call him if you get lost. The latest venture from TYLER checks another box on his Bucket List. Back in 2010 he tweeted “I WANT A GANGSTA GRILLZ TAPE SO FUCKING BAD GOT DAMN.”. Then in the past year he retweeted it with a single word “DONE”. DJ DRAMA of GANSTA GRILLZ MIXTAPE infamy is heard all over the album giving it that vintage Street Tape feel. This whole fucking tape is hard, even in its glitter commercial moments like LEAMONHEAD & WUSYANAME, But its joints like LUMBERJACK, CORSO & HOT WIND feat LIL WAYNE that make you want to throw your phone through several walls in a townhouse community. MASSA & MANIFESTO feat DOMO GENESIS….Whattttt!?!?!? SWEET/ I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE sounds like the EARTHQUAKE remake but its still a vibe. Laugh your ass off listening to Mr. BAUDELAIRE’s “MOM TALK” the Truth, the whole Truth, cuz as TYLER says, “You don’t have any reason to lie”. He’s worked hard enough to make sure that his Mom can say whatever the fuck she wants and not have to worry about a thing. He is on full flex on this album, and he is completely content being himself as he has always been. This shit has something for everyone. From the Club ready JUGGERNAUGHT with LIL UZI VERT & PHARRELL to the J Dilla’esk WILLSHIRE, which must be one of the most honest Rap songs I ever heard, it is all done to the highest level. We are witnessing TYLER at his Prime right here, and this one might not only be Top 5 of the Year, but a Grammy contender for a 2nd time in a row.
J FLIZ – LIBERTA
Massachusetts’s Mic Veteran J FLIZ has set his latest EP free, as it is aptly titled LIBERTA’. Producer X3LA lays some great beds down for J to bounce around on with concrete boots. J FLIZ has been on the grind getting his singles out on most Underground Outlets, so alot of these joints are familiar and WVCC RADIO favorites such as the informative ARMAGEDDON, & CROP CIRCLES or the screw face inducing TOUGH GUY, but my favorite joint has to be HOW IT FEELS where both FLIZ and X3LA create a vibe that really gives the soul of sense of LIBERTA. I real quick Listen that flows excellently and leaves you your neck feeling sore enough to make you smirk. Make sure you support the project at https://jfliz.bandcamp.com/album/libert.
RO THORO – VAN PROJECT (Vibes Are Nostalgic)
The Big Homie from Alabama DJ GLIB STYLES has been holding us down every Friday on WVCC Radio for our #FridayMorningBreakfastBarBuffet (Tune In Friday’s 8am-11am to start your weekend with some Boom Bap). This Friday however, he gave us a double helping of blessings. Not only did he hit us with his latest UNDERGROUND BANGERS MIX, but he then sends me this Funklicious album to review, RO THORO: THE VAN PROJECT (VIBES ARE NOSTALGIC). RO THORO has combined with Atlanta’s RYAN KING, and Alabama’s DJ GLIB STYLES on Production (WHAAAAAT!! GLIB STYLES is Craaaazy on the Pads too?!?!?) This is what hip hop is supposed to FEEL like. I’ve had it on repeat all morning and it gets better with every spin as I clean the crib. Best believe you gonna hear this spinning this week on the Tuesday and Thursday night show. Mobil Alabama Emcee RO THORO murders every joint, and his consistency song for song is refreshing, the homie got his own Voice and pocket over each RYAN KING & GLIB STYLE banger. Hooks and Features from LOVESOUL MA’AT, BIG SKINNY, KYRIQ, KING COLE, COTTON, SPRINGTIME AND TAREEF KNOCKOUT give the project variation, along with the “modern trap” sounding NO TIME TO WASTE produced by KARRI STACKED that is guarenteed to get the party litty. THORO shows he can appeal to both crowds of Hip Hop Lovers, the Older Generation that consumes Hip Hop with a Nostalgic feel, and New Heads who are digging for that Next New Level Shit. Take the road trip in this VAN PROJECT and you will find enough of both to make the journey worth it.
L.I.F.E. LONG & FATCATHAYZE – URBAN SPORTSMAN
The HIP HOP LIFER homie @Quest_A.D_Fam put me on to this today. Glad he did. L.IF.E LONG & FATCATHAYZE do Hip Hop right on URBAN SPORTSMAN, what is supposed to be a “Maxin Single” of sorts. I’ll let them tell it.
L.I.F.E. Long & FATCATHAYZE 156 X Urban Sportsman E.P. “Urban Sportsman” The E.P. (Maxi Single) is the first edition of musical renditions brought to you by the Urban Sportsman consisting of Emcee L.I.F.E. LONG & Producer FATCATHAYZE 156. Both Hailing from the Rotten Apple of N.Y.C. . They both grew up with Hip-Hop and studied the Boom-Bap culture which is represented on this display of lyrical onslaught and sample wizardry. The Urban Sportsman represents that true avant garde style and sound reminiscent of a culture lost and now flooded with pop life and street tales. Equipped with a mic and the instruments consisting of Samplers and plenty of wax. The Urban Sportsman are on a quest to bring vibes to your eardrums captivating your soul with heartfelt music. Available now on limited colored vinyl thru Culture Power 45/ Cocoonmovements . https://culturepower45.bandcamp.com/album/urban-sportsman-e-p
MIC MOUNTAIN – MAS PIRAGUAS
When I first heard Mic Mountain on his 1st PIRAGUA album, I added him immediately to that weeks playlist, feeling like I had found the New Member of the Beat Nuts. I remember the first time I played his joint on the station, the crowd blew up and I had to play a second track off his project to make sure he wasnt a one hit wonder. I professed that night that I would record a record with this man one day, and now, a Covid Filed year later, he drops MAS PIRAGUA and gave me and my family a chance to shine all over it. Miami Legends like SERUM, LMS, C TRAFFIC, and New Miami Resident and LO LIFE Capo THIRSTEN HOWL THE 3RD grace the album, so you know its a banger. I’ll let my Twin MIC tell you about it tho…
Mas Piragua is the follow-up album to Mic Mountain’s 2020 release Piragua. This sure-to-be regular rotation in your playlist takes the best parts of instrumentals from the Golden Age of Hip Hop and combines it with heavy Latin influence over a modern take on breakbeats. Recording sessions took place at various locations starting during the Covid-19 pandemic with production led by Mic himself. High-profile producers also lent a hand on the record. Domingo Padilla (Big Pun’s Producer) produced the party tracks La Fiesta and Gandules. DJ Erex (Mr. Scratch Hook) produced New York style 3 Kings as well as mixed and mastered the entire record. This instant classic also includes songs like Black Spanish which represent life growing up as a teen of mixed heritage in a time where that wasn’t fully understood. The album features guest appearances from Thirstin Howl the 3rd, Shabaam Sahdeeq, 8ch2owens, GodHead the General, LMS, Serum, and more. Get your copy here. https://micmountain.bandcamp.com/album/mas-piragua
CRIMEAPPLE – YDFWC?2
Fuck man….YOU DONT FUCK WITH CRIME 1 just dropped like a month or something ago, and he’s already back, foot all on the stalkers necks. There’s a running theme in CRIMEAPPLE’s recent work where he seems to be addressing cats who getting in their feelings when they realize the stock has gone up on Jersey’s Colombian Canibal. Seems like CRIME is learning its lonely at the top, and he’s ok with that. He cant help it, he don’t belong anywhere else. Features from LORD JAHMANTE OGBON and RLX make this sequel even better.
Isis Aset & Morbid Min B – Radiating Scribe (EP)
One of the new hats I wear is that of Publicist for some artist in South Florida. So in my daily attempt to get SO FLOW Artist played outside of Florida, One of the relationships I have built is with a YouTube Channel called REAL RAP FAMILY that is a beacon of Underground and Indie Boom Bap Hip Hop. Alot of what I play on #WVCCRadio is from REAL RAP FAMs Channel. So it was to my huge surprise that I found a DM message from @realrapfamily on IG asking me If I would play joints off his new EP with Femcee ISIS ASET on our show. We are big fans of ISIS ASET on CYFE LYFE RADIO, playing every single she drops, so this was a no brainer. RADIATING SCRIBE is a dope listen. Short at 4 Tracks but the joints by MORBID MIN B are well produced and Raw with emotions. My personal Favorites are FINGLER LICKING GOOD & OUT THE MIX, but you listen for yourself and choose your own joints. Get the whole scoop on the making of this album and ISIS ASET rise in the game when we host the Sistah on WVCC RADIO in a couple of Weeks.
#CYPHLYFESingleFiles
DJ Matty Lite x Robby Blair – Swiss Cheese
Matty Lite blessed the show with a dope interview this past week and Introduced us in South Florida to Bar Beasts TONES & SANKOFA. Now he is back with ROBBY BLAIR and Rock Guitar laced banger named SWISS CHEESE. ROBBY BLAIR is Spitting Spitting and he is dropping jewelry by the bagful. This joint is as current and relevant as it gets. Another home run from DJ MATT LITE who is slowly turning our brains to SWISS CHEESE with the amounts of bullets he’s letting off.
Bronze Nazareth & Recognize Ali – Thin Line (Prod. Apollo Brown)
Boy can I relate to this latest banger from RECOGNIZE ALI & BRONZE NAZARETH, produced by the great APOLLO BROWN. THIN LINE is the Bonus Track off of SEASON OF THE SEVEN by Bronze Nazareth and Recognize Ali on https://mellomusicgroup.bandcamp.com/… Vinyl available in-stores today!
LEO DAVINCCI: CUP OF BONES ft SKAM2, LYONZ
HE’S BACK…WOOOOOHHHOOOOOHH!!! LEO DAVINCCI has been dropping a Heat Rock every month, getting us ready for his SUSPENDED ANIMATION Release. This time he storms in with Miami’s “Ras Crooner” AG LYONZ and Underground Hip Hop Legend SKAM 2 who utterly annihilates his verse. The beat tramples like a Dothraki stampede and these fellas swing their swords to decapitate. That’s how they got their CUP OF BONES.
BOGEY – OUTTA BOUNDS
MIAMI HIP HOP Veteran BOGEY The Black Bogart is another SO FLOW Shooter who has been popping off at least 1 single a month. On his latest burner, “OUT OF BOUNDS” BOGEY brings the city something it urgently needs, a stern talking to from an Older brother whose Lived this Rap Life, Lived the Crime Life, Been there and done a little to much of that for you to ever test him. Over a thumping, horn filled battle anthem, BOGEY remembers when their was Rules and Codes and he isn’t giving any free passes to these new jacks who grew up in a softer era. A more mature and focused artist now, but he is quick to remind you he will put anyone in check who steps OUT OF BOUNDS.
