Weekly Fix #35 ('20)
Welcome to the Weekly Fix, where I go over everything that I’ve listened to that has come out within the past week. I’ll give a little blurb about the project/single with my feelings on it thrown in there, throw some descriptors and other artists names to give you an idea what the project/single is like, and link to all applicable streaming services where you can find the music. The bottom section will be devoted to projects that have Bandcamp or online webstore links, to give a greater highlight to those artists who you can support directly. Click here to see a list of previous Fixes.
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This week was the first slow week in a long minute over here at Tha Soup Dude’s Kitchen; usually (just to give you a little insight to my life) I go through 15-20 albums a week, more than that in singles, and all of the research and re-familiarizing myself with past material it takes to come up with coherent an well-informed writing . It takes time, so, while it’s always nice to get killer music, it is similarly nice to be able to step back and listen to things that came out a while ago for enjoyment. Went back through Conway the Machine’s albums for fun (G.O.A.T. is still an incredible project), and I was able to go through the past few Big Sean albums again after a long time (yes I like Sean, gimme a break).
As for what came out this week, it’s a one-hander kind of week: Flee Lord with Mephux on production, another LOX project, that Internet Money LP with a ton of features, and a brand new Rich Brian EP in terms of more streaming-centric music, with Vic Spencer and Left Lane Didon (with Sonnyjim and JLVSN on the boards respectively) representing those down-and-dirty artists. Tap in to these artists this week, but I also encourage everyone to go back to the Singles post from this week (linked below), because *that* post was huge, with many more songs than I usually put on there.
Next week is the one to watch, as I have more albums slated for that day than I have in many months: Napoleon Da Legend and Ro Data (of BIG TURKS fame), Pro Zay and TimePieceTracks, Pounds with another LP, Lil Durk, Big Sean with Detroit 2 (the tracklist on this shit looks unreal), and another V Don project with Lord Apex. Supposedly, 6ix9ine is also dropping tomorrow, so we’ll see how that goes… Check all of this out and more over on Upcoming Heat, which is my running calendar of everything I’ve seen coming in the future.
I’ve got to give the biggest thank you to everyone out there who check in to see what I’m doing every week. Y’all got no reason to be coming here and reading my shit, but the fact that you do means all the world to me. People liking my work is like… crazy to me. KEEP THAT SAME ENERGY, and go out there and support/follow these artists I’m showing you, because they are the ones out there doing the *real* work, and deserve all of the attention and more. I’ll see you guys next week. Peace.
Here’s a link to the Week #35 (’20) Playlists
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Here’s a link to the Week #35 (‘20) Singles
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Here’s a link to the Week #35 (’20) Art Appreciation post
-----STREAMING PROJECTS-----
Flee Lord & Mephux – Pray for the Evil 2
Best Flee Lord project in 2020, and I’ll stand by that assertion while also saying that he hasn’t had a bad project come out this year. In fairness, this is the sequel to Pray for the Evil, a project that came out while I was on my little hiatus, one that I haven’t actually gotten around to listening to yet, but if its anything like the chemistry and skill shown here then I think I’ll be in for a treat whenever I get around to it. The beats on this thing can both operate right in Flee’s wheelhouse, but it takes many opportunities to throw curveballs at the Lord, and he takes advantage of these moments by switching up his flow or hitting different pockets. He’s still rapping about his usual drugs/violence/his come up, but the flows are more unique than any project he’s put out this year. The length, while being comparable to his other projects this year (this is like his 7th project or some shit, he’s looking at going 12 projects in 12 months, crazy work ethic), feels more filling and substantial; not that any of his other EPs and tapes are hard-hitting, but this one benefits from both more polish and a huge roster of featured artists, which do a LOT for me in distinguishing this projects. I mean just look at this list: 38 Spesh, Eto, Roc Marciano, Westside Gunn, Evidence, and fucking Trae the Truth?? Yes. All of these people kill their respective appearances too. This is right up there with Lord Talk 2 as projects to point people towards as good introductions to Flee Lord, and if any of you Griselda/dirty/raw hip-hop lovers out there haven’t given this guy a shot, this is your opportunity. LORD LOOOOOORD
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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The LOX – Living Off Xperience
Alright so maybe a lot of these beats are too cheesy and pop-oriented to really do a number on me, but I can’t deny that these three operate in their own lane admirably, and the ways that they’ve stuck to their stylistic guns for almost 20 years is pretty impressive. The constant complaint these guys get is that their music leans too heavily into the mainstream, complaints that are purposely not addressed on here because these three dudes love that sound and take every opportunity to show how much they love it. The silkiness of tracks like Miss You, Do To Me, and Dirty Dirty are as far from street-level hip-hop, but I can appreciate the juxtaposition of these three over tracks like this; I mean, just on vocal quality alone, with Jada’s raspy-ass voice and Sheek’s yelling delivery, it doesn’t seem like bangers like these should work, but they really do. ALL of that being said, whenever they get more in line with older New York hip-hop, you can’t get any better. Story is one of my favorite narrative tracks this year, Come Back has killer samples and cold-flows, and Think of the LOX is the Griselda collaboration that people have been asking for and more; that these three tracks are produced by Nottz, Statik Selektah, and Large Professor respectively should show you why they are my favorites. Just know as a listener that there are a lot of different sounds on here, some that may not mesh well together, but I think the diversity is more of an indication of the personal tastes of the group rather than trying to “reach” for different markets. A good mix of early 2000’s hip-hop and 90’s throwback on here, so tap in accordingly.
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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Internet Money – B4 The Storm
A grand compilation album of a bunch of trap/emo-trap bangers from some of the genre’s most skilled individuals. It seems like there is a “core” group of artists here that the Internet Money trio (producers Taz Taylor, JR Hitmaker, and Nick Mira) are trying to push here, artists like TyFontaine and TheHxliday, guys that I can’t quite see holding their own on tracks in a solo sense. There is potential, and I do like these artists, but I find myself gravitating towards the more established artists on here. Great performances from NAV, iann dior, Lil Skies, Lil Keed, and a surprising number of fantastic appearances from Trippie Redd build out this album as a great spread of quality modern trap. Apart from the rappers/singers on here, the beats are their own brand of fire, detailed on the percussive level without being too overwhelming or club-oriented, and some of the instrumentation on here can be both emotional and beautiful; it seems like these three really know how to use this skills to build catchy and accessible music, much like an established music producer (crazy considering how young some of these guys are). Lots to love here, especially for you younger souls out there. If you’re looking for some chill trap music to have fun to, you’ll have a great time.
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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Rich Brian – 1999
For someone who came onto the scene as meme, it’s been an uplifting experience witnessing this young man blossom into a legitimate musical artist. I’m not saying that his past music isn’t “legit”, but he has come so far and his style has changed so much that it is clear this kind of positive singy-rappy style he’s leaning into on this record is the destination he has always been hoping to reach. He’s not a prodigy at either singing or rapping to be honest, but mixing the two together, and a lot of passion and heart in his delivery, make Brian a character that you just can’t help but root for. The flows are here, the melodies are here, but it’s the writing and song-structures that have me impressed the most, a clear upgrade from previous projects. Essentially, the more mainstream sensibilities from his previous projects, that back then I saw as ancillary detours, have taken center-stage, and the refinement and vocal practice he’s exhibiting here tell me he’s ready to remain in this lane for a long time. This whole progression reminds me of Tyler, The Creator, and they both seem to have found similar end points. Anyone looking for sunny singer-songwriter music (that happens to have some rapping elements to it) will find something to love about this short project.
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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-------SOUP’S HOT DEALS-------
Left Lane Didon & JLVSN – Tha Shoulder Episode 12
Investment: $5.00
It seems like Tha Shoulder Season 3 is over, ending things with Episode 12 on a slightly depressing and reflective note. The first two tracks are fantastically sunny and vibrant, in large part due to the EXCELLENT production from JLVSN, who finds these killer soul and R&B samples and chipmunks them on some Kanye West shit; these female vocal chops are some of the best I’ve ever heard, and that doesn’t just apply to this episode but the entire Tha Shoulder series, just absolutely exquisite work from the man. The last track, to shake things up a bit with a rolling boom-bap beat, raw drums and mellow keys, but it’s really Lefty that makes this track something special, talking about his life at the moment and the ways he can feel lost-yet-found with his music; he gets into a long list of people he’s lost recently, and you can feel the loss in his voice. Left Lane Didon, for those still not on this wave, is one of the most prominent figures in the Delaware hip-hop scene, and one of my favorite rappers out there today. The way he writes is very thorough, ensuring that every bar and rhyme is spit with conviction and purpose. His bars are more of the verbal acrobatic type, dabbling in gangsta and mafioso rap stereotypes on occasion, but it’s the way he can put words and ideas together in his grimy drawl that keeps me coming back to him, and what continues his killstreak on this little EP right here. Like the other episodes, we get one feature: we’ve gotten Stack Scrilla, Jay NiCE, and All Hail Y.T. so far, and he’s saved Chris Skillz for this last episode for an amazing set of bars. EVERYONE, skip that quarter pounder with cheese you were gonna buy for dinner tonight, eat some ramen or some shit instead, and take that 5 bucks you saved and BUY this shit. Support the man.
=>BANDCAMP<=
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Vic Spencer – Spencer for HIGHER 3
Investment: $10.00
The whole project has this very laid-back and blissful feel to it, washing over you with smooth transitions and soft instrumentals; produced entirely by Sonnyjim, who’s taken every opportunity here to remain as low-key and non-confrontational in his beats as possible, the project gives all of the room in the world to Vic’s off-the-wall lyrics and boisterous vocal deliveries. It’s a strange relationship between the beats and the emcee, but it’s a symbiosis that works more than I thought it would. It’s like left-field’s left-field, working off of the strength of it’s uniqueness and great spread of guests. Some of them fit right into the fold, like Jeremiah Jae and Sonnyjim himself, but others create these fascinating spaces where artists are shown-out on different styles and feels, like Rome Streetz on Choose It to Lose It (the original, the Big Ghost remix sound more true-to-Rome) and *especially* Che Noir on The Best Natural Face, who it more used to hard-nosed and serious hip-hop. The 43 minutes really fly by one this one, being great music to just sit back and relax to (maybe with some substances who knows), and a total steal at 10 dollars. Get on this one, support a Chicago rapper and London beatmaker.
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