Weekly Fix #39 ('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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Great week with great projects to represent it. We got a couple of great mainstream releases to keep us fed while the big dogs continue to delay their projects, and an army of more traditional hip-hop sounds to keep up comfortable (or totally flooded; this year has been a remarkable year for you grimy bastards) while we’re still trying to navigate these trying times. I know a lot of y’all are still living in the lockdowns and whatnot, and you have my sympathy (and a slight hint of jealousy at being in a place where the government actually cares that you do not die), so lets spend these months with little else to do by digging deep into the modern hip-hop landscape.

Specifically, this week brought us name likes Action Bronson, A$AP Ferg, and a deluxe edition to a 5 year old album from Bryson Tiller (T R A P S O U L still a classic. If you’re looking to go out and support an artist today, we have a whole section down there devoted to just that: my Hot Deals this week have projects from the illustrious Hus Kingpin, top-spitter Ill Conscious, and the truly legendary Elzhi. Buy the albums folk, get you a CD and look at that shit every day like a proud dad, you won’t regret it.

Next week is set to be another crazy week for the genre. First thing’s first, all praises due to the Flygod: Westside Gunn is dropping yet again with his Shady debut WHO MADE THE SUNSHINE. If the tracklist is anything to go off of (as it always is), then this is going to be another unbelievably ill project. Other names include YG, Smoke DZA, Bryson Tiller, and, oh yeah, METRO BOOMIN AND 21 SAVAGE BITCHES. Yes, Savage Mode II is on the way, and by Shinji my body is ready. Go and see everything I see coming this weekend, and into the Great Beyond (October and whatnot), over on my Upcoming Heat page. It’s a cool little calendar I have that I update with releases that have either been confirmed or HEAVILY hinted at releasing. It’s a great way to keep up with the madness, hell I use the shit myself often.

A big thank you is in order, for both all of my readers and one of y’all specifically. I would like to shout out Tone Beatz for being a real one this week; I was a dumbass and missed one of his projects, and he took the time out to educate rather than berate, and I respect the hell out of that (These Violent Delights is an ill project, read about it below). I’ll see all of you magnificent bastards next week. Peace.

Here’s a link to the Week #39 (’20) Playlists

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Here’s a link to the Week #39 (‘20) Singles

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Here’s a link to the Week #39 (’20) Art Appreciation post

-----STREAMING PROJECTS-----

Action Bronson – Only For Dolphins

Cover Artist: Action Bronson

For someone whose mind has drifted away from the music sphere and into a whole host of other interests (chef, professional traveler, health guru, actor, possibly a professional wrestler?), I’ve got to give this album credit for being as solid as it is. I’m not at all saying this album is bad, in fact I think the beats and Bronson’s wordplay are as sharp as ever on this project, but there is a certain “hand-off” nature to Only For Dolphins where, much like the magical dolphin, you just sort of throw it on and go with the flow. There are a lot of moments of running instrumental, Action Bronson just talking shit, and even like ambient ocean and nature sounds that are peppered throughout the album that make it feel easygoing and low-stakes, which makes Bronson cutting through the waves with a killer verse all the more potent. On paper, there really isn’t much going on here, but every sound and word is used to accentuate the vibe, which is something that Action Bronson has recently gotten very good at. The man is hilarious, has a great presence on his tracks, and he even produces a couple cuts on here which is totally new for him. I am 100% recommending this project, but know you aren’t getting crazy raps or anything like that: you’re getting a man sunbathing on a Mediterranean beach spitting game to you about the amazing thigs he’s seen and the culinary masterpieces he has brought to life.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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A$AP Ferg – Floor Seats II

Cover Artist: [Unknown]

I didn’t think the original Floor Seats EP was quite up to my standards for the Trap Lord, but it had moments where I appreciated how forward-thinking Ferg was to the new waves of music coming out, especially in the razor-edged punk influences of people like Rico Nasty. Floor Seats II is much better in my opinion, filling out the tracklist with appropriate features (EXCEPT for Marilyn Manson; I’m sorry but that track is complete ass) like Mulatto, Fivio Foreign, and OneFour, and showing a great spread of beats that show both where he comes from and where he’s going. There is ignorant trap music, weird-ass left field bangers, and Drill tunes on this project, and they all hit about as well as you would expect and A$AP track to hit. I wish Ferg had a little more microphone time on here (one of the few times I wished the album was longer), but he passes it off to quality emcees so I’m not going to complain too much. Ferg’s rapping isn’t god-tier, and his singing is dumpster juice, but that’s a part of the appeal of the man is that he’s just a goofy motherfucker that doesn’t take himself too seriously (big ODB vibes with him), and neither should you. Listen to this if you want some mindless shit to wild out to.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Tory Lanez – Daystar

Cover Artist: [Unknown]

This one is going to be a point of contention for some of you, and I 100% understand that. I’ve been a fan of Tory for a minute now, and while I’ve always known that the dude is a weirdo with the macho-aggressive behavior, I never thought it would come down to a record like this. I am not going to speak on whether or not this album is true or false, whether it’s gaslighting or not, or whether or not Tory had any right to make a project in this manner; all that I am going to say is that, for people who simply enjoy listening to music, for me, on paper, this project is solid. The singing is solid, the flows are solid, the focus (despite being on such a contentious subject) is solid. Even if this entire project from front to back is ALL CAP, I still enjoy listening to it. I’m going to be removing the links to this project out of respect to my readers, so it’s up to y’all who want to listen to go find it. I’ve never seen a shitshow around a album like this before, and I doubt many of you have either, so we’ll just have to see how this all shakes out in regards to how this album is looked back on down the line.

==> Go find it Fam <==

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Bryson Tiller – T R A P S O U L (Deluxe)

Cover Artist: [Unknown]

I can listen to this album at any time of the day, any day of the week, and it will still be special. This is one of those albums that got me out of the “I only want to listen to *rappers*” mindset I had back in the day. I didn’t want to admit to myself that I liked R&B n shit like that (I know some of y’all felt the same way at some point in time about some type of music), but whenever this project came out it just sort of clicked in my head, and it’s been a wrap every since. For those of you who don’t know, this is a deluxe edition to an album that came out 5 years ago as of just a few days ago, Bryson Tiller’s debut album, and one that he’s looking to top this Friday by releasing his brand-new album. Is it going to match the enduring quality of T R A P S O U L? I’m just going to go ahead and say no, it’s not, as a way to avoid disappointment, because if relistening to this album again has only reinforced, this project is special in a way that a debut album from a naturally talented person only can. The singing is heartfelt and passionate, with the lowkey falsettos being on of his most trademark sounds. The beats showcased the sounds of R&B and trap music blended in one of the most authentic and fire ways up until that point. And if those things weren’t enough, this deluxe edition gives us even more content: two fantastic new tracks, an outro, and the MYTHIC remix to Rambo with none-other than The Weeknd. I’ve been listening to this remix off of a ripped Soundcloud file for years and years, and to finally hear it studio quality was just…. bliss. I am incredibly happy to listen to this album again, and if any of you sadboys are tired of listening to Drake, go and give this amazing project a spin.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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-------SOUP’S HOT DEALS-------

Ill Conscious & Aloeight – The Epic Of Gilgamesh

Investment: $10.99

Cover Artist: abstractjity

Weirdly enough, I had only seen the name Aloeight one time before this project, and that was as the producer of one of my favorite RJ Payne tracks of all time, the final track of his Leatherface LP, Mortifying. The tension and deadly pianos of the eerily quiet track stayed with me ever since I heard it, so seeing that Aloeight was doing an entire project with Baltimore’s Ill Conscious was a total shock to me, and I was very excited to hear how the two were going to mesh with each other. While the tracks Apocalypse with King Los and Eligh (who both murder this fucking beat), and Planet Conscious with Planet Asia (again, kills it) have elements of the kind of production I was expecting, the rest of the project was much… happier than I was expecting. A pleasant surprise to be sure, as I love to see the different sides of an artist, and hearing how well Aloeight can effortlessly weave samples that inspire brightness and positivity just cements to me how talented the motherfucker actually is. Kudos to you on all of these killer beats, and for diversifying your bonds. But the star on stage here is Ill Conscious, who not only has recently emerged on my radar as a MUST LISTEN individual (I’ve gone back to several of his projects, Logistix being a fantastic album front to back), but somehow also exceeds my expectations on this project. His rapping is technical and quick witted without being corny, his lyrics have substance and stunting in equal amounts, and his voice can be both grimy as hell and full of wisdom and depth. An incredibly well-rounded emcee that sounds straight out of the best periods of the genre: I can’t stop thinking about Big L, one of my all-time favorites, whenever this guy gets on the microphone, and I think y’all will know what I mean when you throw this album on. Y’all need to get onto this project immediately: amazing beats, amazing rapping, amazing features (Estee Nack is on here too y’all), and easily digestible at a brisk 7 tracks/20 minutes. Big ups Baltimore.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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Hus Kingpin – Wavo in LA

Investment: $20.00

Cover Artist: producedbydani

For what amounts to basically an old-school mixtape where existing beats are taken and rapped over, this is a surprisingly solid release, especially as a West-Coast drenched project coming from on of the grimiest East-Coast rappers in the new-school right now. The beats are ones you gotten your fill of before: Snoop’s Gin and Juice, Dre’s Bitch N****s, and a great callback to one of Ab-Soul’s best tracks, Huey Knew THEN. There’s the couple that I can’t quite put my finger on, but they are definitely familiar, maybe some of y’all can help me out with that one. Hus flows over these instrumentals in about the same way he would over any of his other material, with his hushed delivery given a bit of extra push to fit the coastal gangsta vibes of the classic beats. Would have liked to have heard a couple of his other cohorts like SmooVth and Rozewood, but as a one-off mixtape I appreciate his solo approach; in a way, people like Snoop and Dre are the features, hearing those classic beats again. This is a leadup to his album with Roc C coming out this next week, getting us into that L.A. mindset before he drops that project with the underground West-Coast legend.

==> Wavo’s Website <==

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Killy Shoot & Tone Beatz – These Violent Delights

Investment: $7.00

Cover Artist: Ill Kill

This is another album that I did completely dirty, but I’m learning the error of my ways with this one as well. A project that totally flew under my radar, my guy Tone Beatz sent me this album on some G shit and I fell in love with it, and despite it coming out at the end of August I knew I had to tell you guys about it. I had heard Killy Shoot before without a doubt, most recently on that fantastic Pro Zay album ALLEY MUZIK, but I had never personally dove into his previous work, so this is my first full-length from the man. Being from Massachusetts of all places, I’m not sure where his influences lie; I can kind of get a Sean Price vibe, but really his delivery and style is so incredibly unique that I’m having trouble comparing him to anyone. Maybe like G4 JAG mixed with Meyhem Lauren’s brother Hologram? The man is married, chained, and beholden to the pocket, rapping in this super structured monotone that falls into a bold pattern; it reminds me of the earliest days of rapping, caveman rap if you will (in the most respectful way possible, I think it’s ill), blunt and with no flashy tongue-twisters. I love how simple the delivery can be, yet it’s still entertaining as fuck to listen to him talk about how he’s going to kill everyone with fire; the lyrics are just about what you would expect from someone in this deep underground scene right now, violence and all. I loved what Tone Beatz did for All Hail Y.T. at the top of this year for his The Spoils of Babylon LP, so the fact I missed a project from this amazing producer is all the more embarrassing. The instrumentals on this EP are so much darker and more sinister than that previous project, really channeling that inner music within Hannibal Lector’s head; superb string sections, slow moving drums, and that haunting organ sample on the track 360 are very powerful sounds, cutting through the relative sparseness of the instrumentals with this genuine spookiness. Add all into this a great spread of features from common Killy collaborators, and you have a fantastically thematic and consistent project.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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M.A.V. & Raticus – Montana Files

Investment: $20.00

Cover Artist: LAKI420

I’ve been doing this album dirty for a couple weeks now, so first and foremost I need to apologize to M.A.V and Raticus for taking so long with this shit. I forgot to put into my playlist the first week, then I forgot to put it into my writing list, and now I’m finally getting around to telling all of you that this album is FIRE. These beats are crazy, something I was expecting form Raticus but god damn; this is like taking the best of Alchemist’s 2010-2013 run and bringing it right back to the front of my mind. These samples are sharp as fuck, perfectly placed, and they build up instrumentals that are so suave and funky; if these beats could walk, they would be STRUTTING that pimp walk down the sidewalk for sure. M.A.V’s dialed-back and reserved delivery, spitting in this sort of collected talking, fits the vibe perfectly, coming across as a man with a story with only one goal: to tell it. This project is very different from the kinds of projects that Da Cloth members usually dabble in, with little to no darkness found on Montana Files, being much more positive and nostalgic in tone; the lyrics detail a life in the street, but it’s more like a movie scene from a badass film from the 70’s rather than a reflective meditation. Different from M.A.V.’s other albums, different from Raticus’ other album, give it a shot if you like that old Blaxploitation shit.

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Elzhi – Seven Times Down Eight Times Up

Investment: $9.99

Cover Artist: Dave

Elzhi is a very good rapper, this much is known. His wordplay is some of the best there’s ever been, his flow is smooth and seamless, and he’s even able to maintain a level of topicality that many rappers in his caliber just can’t keep up with. All of this mean that, vocally, there isn’t a single flaw in the way Elzhi conducts himself, and anyone who appreciates a rapper’s rapper like Nas or Method Man, this will be your go-to this week. Elzhi has worked with many different producers over his long career, and this album here continues the tradition by finding a relatively modern producer to give a fresh take on his image; this time that producer is JR Swiftz, who rose to underground recognition off the strength of his work with Griselda and their affiliates. I’ll admit, I was surprised to hear the spread of beats that JR came with on this one, expecting a grimy and rougher experience, and getting one that was much more nostalgic and easy-going. These beats are not minimal, but luscious, full of life and details, giving Elzhi the space to spit his gems while also taking you back to his home and his era on their own. Seven Times Down Eight Times Up is a sweet, determined album, one that is a product from an emcee that is entirely comfortable in his lane and with his status in the game, and makes exactly what he wants to hear: grown-ass hip-hop. Give this a listen if you fuck with Little Brother, or Jay-Z’s recent material.

Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music

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