Week #5 ('21) Singles
Welcome to my Singles post, where I go over all of the loose songs released over the past week so. These are songs that are not currently attached to projects, and may either be promotional singles for an upcoming project or songs dropped at the random whim of the artist. I’ll show you the single, where to find it out in the wild, and a little blurb about it for my thoughts/further context. Click here to see previous Singles posts.
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Marlon Craft – State Of The Union
A brilliant and detailed breakdown on how absolutely fucked we are over here in the United States. The shiestyness of the music industry, the havoc that COVID has wrought on our society both health-wise and intellectually, and the way “allies” are simply another group of people looking to make a quick buck, Marlon really gets into all of it across the 5 minute bar-fest. This doesn’t feel preachy in the slightest, instead an incredibly well-thought-out dissertation on the state of affairs, with every bar packed with though-provoking ideas and statements. If you like “conscious rap”, but it’s actually saying some real shit and not just regurgitating tropes and isms, then you’ve got to give this dude a listen. Shit, if you just want to hear some wisdom from someone who seems both young and wise beyond his years, you don’t want to miss this. Masterful track.
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Sauce Walka – RIP Buddy
Sauce occupies a unique space in the modern hip-hop landscape, able to bridge the gap between old school Houston and new-school Houston in ways that no other emcee in H-town can do right now (or at least no one with the amount of clout that Sauce Walka currently commands can do). He can do the hard and disrespectful southern shit, taking cues from guys like Chamillionaire and Lil Keke, but he also has ties to some of the more Eastern influences in today’s rap game. This new single here is a drumless vocal loop, similar to something you would find Westside Gunn over, the boldness of it reminiscent of something Kanye would have come out with, or something Pimp C would have flipped into some classic shit. Sauce Walka is still spitting loudly and aggressively, with a bit more reflection in his voice than I’m used to from him. It’s gotten to a point where I’m excited for every new Sauce release, so this single is a great way to get the hype up.
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Duke Deuce – Soldier Steppin
Duke is one of the hardest dudes out right now, with few able to compete with the madness he can come with on the microphone. The man is a hip-hop berserker, focusing the anger and sharp flows into something potent and body-moving. It all boils down to Crunk, and by extension the deep ties he has to the Memphis scene of old; his tracks are explosive dissertations on why this style will never die, the vocals and hook getting everyone in the room to a point where you want to actually fight someone. Unbelievably, the beat takes these vibes to and even higher level than even I thought was possible, with a spread of 808’s that are truly mind-numbing. Give this a shot if you are looking to start a mosh-pit in a retirement home (masked-up of course, we want to be safe here).
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Termanology (Feat. Jay Royale, Lil Fame, & Rome Streetz) – Broad Day
Here in a few weeks we’re gonna get an album from Term and this dude named Shortfyuz (who I assume produces the entire project), and we’ve been treated with two singles to take us into the release: Don Julio (which you’re find below), and Broad Day. The latter has some of my favorite emcees in the game right now, featuring verses from both Jay Royale and Rome Streetz on the same track, an overload of gangster-ass motherfukin bars. Jay’s Baltimore Housing Project *just barely* missed my Top Ten Albums of 2020, but you still got to know the dude is one of the best out there right now: grimy, forceful, and an accent to match the most well-known. Rome is on some chainsaw shit on this one, and the star of the show, Termanology, sees the competition he’s up against and goes that much harder. A great hook from Lil Fame paired with a great mafioso-type-beat makes this an amazing 90’s-centric track, with all of the bars and bumps you would expect.
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Tee Grizzley (Feat. Baby Grizzley)– Gave That Back
After so many setbacks, it’s great to see the Grizzley brand continue to make waves in this hip-hop shit. The shootings, deaths, and jail-time were all disheartening, but now things are different: his mother is out, his brother (and fellow rapper Baby Grizzley) is out, and things are starting to build into something that is about to make a huge splash in Detroit. Baby Grizz has a ways to go before he reaches the level that Tee has reached in the past few years, a master of one-liners and clever bars, but the potential is there exactly like it was for his brother whenever he got out. This shit slaps like any trap banger from Tee would (in a more conventional sense, not like the West-Coast-tinged efforts of his last project), featuring great bars and aggressive flows; get on this shit.
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Termanology (Feat. UFO Fev & Nems) – Don Julio
The first single dropped for that upcoming Termanology tape was this one here, and pretty much everything that made Broad Day so great can also be found here: a killer beat (this one being backed by what sounds like steel-guitars) and amazing performances from everyone involved. Termanology is upping that aggressive delivery, again to match the guests he brings onto the track. Fev is kind of like the straight man amongst these other two savages on the microphone, but still comes through with some of the best bars on this motherfucker. But Nems is on a whole ‘nother planet than most of the emcees in the game today man… the shit he says is like DMX quoting ODB, completely wild shit that you can only laugh at while also acknowledging that it’s hard as fuck. Both singles considered (and seeing the further-stacked tracklist), I’m looking forward to this new album, GOYA, from Term, coming out very soon.
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Masiwei – Toban Djan
The member of the Higher Brothers that I believe has the most solo appeal is this guy right here, Masawei, who seems to be bringing about a market of Chinese Hip-Hop that incorporates the flashy and sweet tones of modern trap music with the mesmerizing poetry of the Chinese language. Like every one of these kinds of songs I have to say this: no, I do not speak Chinese. You do not have to understand the language to appreciate the music folks: sometimes it’s about the flow and sonic aesthetic, and those are two things Masewei has in spades. This newest single (which I hope is leading up to a full project or mixtape) is probably the most pop-trap that I’ve heard him so far, reflecting more of a shift in his label, 88RISING, over a natural solo progression, but I glad that his persona is reaching a wider audience. I can’t wait to see how a whole project will shake out.
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Yxng Bane (Feat. Nafe Smallz & M Huncho) – Dancing On Ice
Britain is experiencing a real boom in what can be compared to the super-autotuned pop-rap scene over here in the states. Taking heavy inspiration from guys like Travis Scott, and more modern acts like Gunna and Lil Baby, there is a whole team of guys representing this sound for London, putting them on a world stage in a way that may supplant the Grime and Drill scenes in terms of crossover appeal. M Huncho and Nafe Smallz seem to be spearheading this charge (along with the guys over in D-Block Europe), but Yxng Bane is a solid name in this scene as well who should not be overlooked. All three of these guys use autotune like anyone else would use a normal voice, the vocal processing being completely over the top and all-encompassing, but it leads to great moments of melodic clarity and charm. Some of the lyrics might be a bit off, I’ll admit, but you’re in this scene to hear the catchy hooks and watery flows (much like the Gunnas of the world), so you should disregard this as post-Thugger cheekiness and move on to the shit that actually bangs about the track. Great flows, great beat, and a chemistry between the three that makes me what to hear a full length between them, much like Nafe and Huncho pulled off at the end of 2020. Give this a shot if you like digitized and processed pop-trap.
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Wale – Good Vibes (Za)
I don’t think people give Wale credit for the stellar melodies he can come up with. The man is never gonna come out with a #1 hit melodic single obviously, but he gives his all whenever he goes for a more impassioned and silkier vibe. I can’t get this hook out of my head on this one, much like that last track of his I covered with Gunna. The rapping works (he’s never bene a bad rapper by any means), but I really want to see what he can do with his singing skills on his next LP (which I assume he’s leading us up to right now). Give this a shot if you want a well rounded, thoughtful, and emotional track (about having fun, so not soul crushing but just feel-good) to spin a few times.
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N.O.R.E. (Feat. Conway the Machine & Method Man) – Outta Line
There is on thing that N.O.R.E. can never have taken from him: his skill for hooks is beyond this fuckin’ planet. The streetness of these choruses are just timeless, and Outta Line is no different, sounding both a product of the 90’s and easily placeable today. Sometimes you get distracted by the buzzing explosivity of his voice, but the dude has bars too, hard ones. He really set himself up for a challenge on this one… bringing in both Conway and Method Man is a bold fucking move, and while I’m not here saying that they leave N.O.R.E. in the dust, they’re two of the best spitters today for a reason. Conway is ruthless, as is tradition, and Method Man’s verse is a dense and brilliant exercise in wordplay. I think we’re looking at another N.O.R.E. album here very soon, and I can’t wait to see how he can channel that old hip-hop energy.
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Peter Rosenberg (Feat. Flee Lord & Stove God Cooks) – Marcus Smart
And now we’re looking at a potential Peter Rosenberg project? With a lead single from Flee and Stove no less? If this turns out to be a project, I hope the rest of it is as in-tune with the vibes of the underground like this single is. The beat is nocturnal and scarily 90’s, a perfect soundscape for these two unorthodox emcees to spit their craft. It’s a bit short so there really isn’t much more than that. Give this a shot if you fuck with those Griselda dudes and are hankering for more like I always am.
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lil ricefield, Seiji Oda, & Guapdad 4000 – Anime Shawty, Vol. 2
This shit is stupid as hell, and I say that in the most respectful way I possibly can. I mean, Jesus Christ, it’s a whole track about an anime girlfriend, so don’t go into this expecting The Message or some shit. The bars are funny, rice’s voices are mildly uncomfortable, Guapdad is a perfect feature for the wackiness, and did I mention that the bars are completely ridiculous? I’ll be strait with y’all, this is barely a song, being more like a thinly veiled string of jokes, so go into this with a different expectation: it’s just a prank bro.
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Shawn Eff (Feat. Mike Sherm, DaBoii, Ebk Young Joc, & MGM Flash) – Hottest Out
A lot of the appeal in modern West-Coast artist, especially those with that Bay slap to them, is how down-to-earth and grounded they can feel. The mixing and fuzziness of the mix is a part of the appeal to a track like this in my opinion, feeling very basement and DIY, like real dudes out here talking about the shit they actively take part in. Not even touching the fact that everyone here does a fantastic job: I had never heard of the three cats on the back end of this track, but all three have entered my radar for sure, especially Shawn with his completely ridiculous screaming adlibs. DaBoii should be a no-brainer for all of you Bay-heads: he kills it, while Mike Sherm is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite faces in this new wave. Simple, bumps, great and funny lyrics; get on this shit right now.
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Tokyo Jetz (Feat. T.I.) – Know The Rules
I heard Tokyo Jetz on T.I.’s last album, and immediately I was ready to hear what she was gonna put out next; her energy and flow is just so incredibly on point, pointed and dexterous in a way that took me completely by surprise. Imagine JT from City Girls having a much more Tupac-inspired performance… and speaking of Pac, Know The Rules interpolates and recreates the beat of one of Makavelli’s most vicious hits: Hit Em Up. The flows match, her energy is insane, and the shit that she says is damn near some battle-rap brutality. T.I. being on hook duty is a shame (and a slightly weird choice but I’ll allow it), but the track comes together into something wholly worth listening to for Jetz’s classically violent performance nonetheless.
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Sal Jordan & The Jazzment – Flower Roll
I was put on to Sal not too long ago, and already the vibes he presents are some of my favorites to sit back and chill to. He’s not really a rappity-rapper, playing more with vocal tones and layering himself into the instrumentals more than anything, kind of like material you’d find from guys like Childish Gambino, J.I.D., or even some more modern Tyler, The Creator. His lyrics are carefree and breezy, but whenever he gets into the faster flows you can tell there is potential to snap. What makes this track special (and what will make his upcoming EP special) is the production from duo The Jazzment, who provide some psychedelic and groovy tones for Sal to spit over; with all of the vocal manipulation and mixing tricks, you can tell that a track like this was a truly collaborative process. Give this a shot if you’re looking for something more easy-going this week.
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Unorthodocks & Art Villain – Never Leave Prints
This dude is looking to keep his foot on 2021’s neck at this pace, dropping new songs regularly. It would be one thing to get some clear loosie tracks from someone looking to drop a project soon, but these singles are as well written and dense as anything you’d normally hear on an album. Urnorthodocks’ strength lies in cramming as many rhymes into a bar as possible, rhyming entire strings of words together in very impressive fashion. It’s sort of like listening to al.divino on fast-forward or something, but much smoother and slimier than anything out of that camp. While I love Docks’ approach on this one, I’ve got to give it up to this Art Villain character as well; they kill this beat with a solid drumless loop, with a great use of horns to give this detective serial feel. Give me a project Docks’; I’m ready for it.
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Tek (Feat. Conway the Machine) – The Machine & TEK
It almost sounds like Tek has been sitting on this cut for a long time; Conway sounds like a much younger and youthful version of himself, maybe 3 to 4 years younger to my ears, and the mix on this thing is purposefully mysterious like Griselda was won’t to come out with around that time as well. I’ve heard stories of people sitting on Machine verses for a while, so this wouldn’t surprise me, cause every one of his verses is like a bomb that you have to strategically place for maximum effectiveness. All of this is a long-winded way of saying that Conway kills it, and Tek is able to keep up with the heavyweight spitter in his own way, being a bit weirder and grimy in his delivery to match. Obviously Tek has been around for a long motherfuckin time, but I’m very excited to see what he can do to keep shit fresh on this new LP he has coming, Pricele$$, here in a few weeks.
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Brent Faiyaz (Feat. Tyler, The Creator) – Gravity
There are a couple of songs this week that have that modern Tyler feel to them, but this one takes the cake, mostly because Ace makes an appearance himself but also because the general instrumental tone is very much in line with something he’d normally put out. Tyler even comes with the multiple-pitch-thing he loves to do, making it feel even more like one of his tracks. Brent Faiyaz is a name everyone in the modern R&B scene should know by now; his voice is by no means perfect, but its soft gentleness is infectious, containing a real soul to it completely untouched by any sort of post-processing. I’d compare him to someone like Sampha in vocal tone, so anyone looking for a singer who doesn’t try to hard to be flashy will be impressed here.
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CJ – “BOP”
While I wouldn’t call this a “spicy” or “sub-genre-defining” track by any means, people looking or that burst of NY Drill energy will find exactly what they’re looking for on this track. CJ doesn’t have a voice like a lot of other cats in this scene often do, forgoing the smoke or the grime for a more straightforward and… mainstream-relatable delivery, but the beats are still here, the flows are still here, and a terminology is still here. Give this a shot if you fuck with Fivio Foreign and just NEED more material cause the dude just doesn’t want to drop an album I guess.
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DJ Chose (Feat. Gucci Mane) – You a Dime
I’ve heard Chose’s producer tag many, many times by now, mostly in the context of tracks from Fredo Bang, giving that man banger after banger in the instrumental department. Now we get a single, billed as a DJ Chose track no less; going into this I was expecting a Gucci Mane song produced by Chose, but instead we are getting an actual rapping track from the guy, something I hadn’t known him to do in the past. Looking back, I saw a couple other tracks like this, but I was nonetheless surprised to hear that the dude not only raps in addition to producing, but he’s not to shabby on the microphone. He sounds like many other southern rappers out there, Gucci seemingly a big influence, with his hook game being particularly on point. If we’re looking at a solo project from Chose, sign me up, because I haven’t heard a beat from him that was anything less than stellar.
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JPEGMAFIA – FIX URSELF!
Peggy has been dropping a ton of loose material over the past year, which you can take as either leftover ideas from his All My Heroes Are Cornballs sessions or a leadup into another full project. All of these tracks build off of the ideas that last project presented, especially in his approaches to melody, and FIX URSELF! is probably his boldest play yet since his last album. The beat is very skeletal, with some seemingly conventional life to it when the drums kick in, but with them mostly being organic snares like a marching band or some shit, JPEG is still able to hit you with that weird twist to make it unique. The keys are as somber as they are beautiful, and Peggy matches the beauty with his own heavy-processed singing. Give this a shot if you want digital, underground pop-rap, and I dare anyone who hasn’t introduced themselves to JPEGMAFIA yet to start here and work their way backwards.
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Dai Stackz (Feat. Loveboat Luciano & Benny the Butcher) – Dopeman Flow
I really don’t know a damn thing about Dai Stackz, and after a little bit of research I wasn’t able to find any sort of useful information about him; I’m guessing he’s really new to the game, but I’m still not sure about that given that he was able to secure features from two of BSF’s best. I think Dai holds his own fantastically on the track in the face of these two expert spitters, differentiating himself enough to make me want to keep up with the shit he drops in the future. It’s great to hear from Loveboat again; I’m really hoping for a new project from him very soon, cause the dudes has one of my favorite voices out of the Black Sopranos. But Benny really pulls out the big guns for this one, with a great flow and hard-hitting lyrics. If you want some stuff like D-Block or some newer-school G-Unit, this is for you.
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YSL, Yak Gotti, & Sheck Wes (Feat. Yung Kayo) – GFU
There is really no structure whatsoever with this song, a fun encapsulation of what it’s like to be in the middle of the pit at a concert. In fact, that’s probably why I fuck with this song so heavy right now, cause, y’all, I’m really missing those concerts right about now. This track kind of feels like the artists riffing in front of a rowdy crowd, with the adlibs and legit rapping blending together amongst the very high-octane beat into really just a pool of noise. Sheck Wes clears a lot of the air to bring a real-ass verse, but most of the track is a high-energy vibe to sit back and remember the times when people gathered together in large masses mere inches away from each other… what FOOLS we were, right?
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PnB Rock (Feat. King Von) – Rose Gold
I can see the writing on the wall with this one: I doubt this would have seen the light of day if the circumstances were different. PnB and Von are like oil and water on this one, making little sense sonically, but I’m still glad to be able to get some more Von in any case, and I do like PnB on his own merits, so I still enjoy being able to hear what he has to offer. It’s just a strange pairing, that’s all, so keep that in mind going into this one. It’s like super processed pop-rap meets hardcore Drill music.
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Smino – MLK Dr
An incredibly short burst of soul from Smino, who I haven’t followed very closely during his career but who I hope to hear great things from in 2021. This cut, while only being a minute and some change, blends a lot of what I like about rappers like Kendrick Lamar (namely his sense of poignant humor) with the skittering soul numbers that he would often find himself rapping over. It’s like Kendrick over a Thundercat beat and it’s just beautiful. If you like that wonky mix of singing and rapping, and some great basswork to boot, then give this a shot.
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