Weekly Fix #47 ('21)
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 next 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. The final section will be for projects that have had a Hot Deal-type release, but have recently come to streaming. Click here to see a list of previous Fixes.
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Another week, another round of killer projects from hip-hops’ premier talents. We only got 6 projects to take a look at this time, but each one is worth their weight in gold.
Most of what we’re looking at this week is from the underground sector, which means that they will have options to support the artists directly. You can see down below how I structure these posts: I put the streaming only releases up first, then the projects with links to direct purchase next, and end with projects that I had covered before but only recently were put on streaming. Please consider investing in these artists when you can! Whether it’s purchasing a digital copy of an album (which can be pretty inexpensive), copping a physical copy of an album (CD’s, Vinyls, cassettes for y’all weird people), or taking a look at the merchandise the artist offers (hats, stickers, shirts, etc.), every single bit helps these guys continue to bring y’all dope music.
Since I’ve started up again here at Tha Soup Dude’s Kitchen, things… haven’t quite gone the way I thought they would to put it lightly. Firstly, on a positive note, the way that my readers and engagers have picked up again has been incredibly inspiring, and I’m thankful for every one of you who take the time out of their week to see what I have going on over here. But, there’s still the fact that my time hasn’t freed up in the way I was imagining, and I have had little opportunity to work on the regular content here, let alone the goals I have for TSDK in the long-term. All of that is to say that your patience and regular readership is appreciated, and I hope that this very minimal posting schedule I have right now can suffice until I can get shit really going.
I appreciate all of you guys, all of you artists who make this shit possible every week, and all of the people in my life that I’ve been ghosting like a motherfucker trying to get all of this done. Peace.
==> LINK TO THA SOUPCORD <==
Here’s a link to the Week #47 (’21) Playlists
&
Here’s a link to the Week #47 (‘21) Singles
-----STREAMING PROJECTS-----
Flipp Dinero – Table For One
Cover Artist: [Unknown]
The only streaming project that I have for you guys this week is this little EP from Brooklyn’s ecstatic crooner Flipp Dinero. I’ve been following this dude for a few years now starting with the amazingly solid LOVE FOR GUALA back in 2019, and in all that time I’ve been utterly convinced that this dude is right on the edge of blowing up for real, an event that hasn’t really materialized in the way I envisioned. The skills that Flipp shows on this EP alone in his songwriting, energetic performing, and beat selection are some of the most consistent I’ve heard in a minute, highlighting a rapper that really has every aspect of his artistry down perfect. His flows are consistently dense and fiery, but the real quality that I’ve gotta highlight with this dude is his voice: grainy, rough and textured, the tone of his voice is so effortlessly fire. That’s not to say that his voice is necessarily *good*; you aren’t going to get an Adele-like performance, but rather a kid who’s got an endearing singing style that can be appreciated for the emotion and power behind it. Whether he’s singing or his rapping his ass off, Dinero has a very similar vibe to an artist like Tory Lanez in my mind, someone who gives 100% of their power in every performance. Table For One is a short project that only clocks in at 17 minutes, 5 tracks with no features, but each track is built out with solid hooks and multiple verses. The whole thing seems tailor-made to get a radio hit going, and I could see many of these tracks getting recognition if they’re pushed correctly. This guy has that “it” factor that a lot of these melodic rappers could take some notes on, and for anyone looking for a Tory Lanez-like rapper should look no farther than Flipp Dinero.
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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-------SOUP’S HOT DEALS-------
Chris Skillz & Zain – The Void
Investment: $12.00
Cover Artist: artbydani
This project is going to be different from anything I’ve shown you guys before on Tha Soup Dude’s Kitchen. I first heard Chris back on Jay NiCE’s POMPEii album from back in 2019, someone who struck me as a good rapper from the jump with the very direct and approachable tone in his voice, distinctly friendly in style of rapping amongst a team of wordy strongmen that populate Delaware’s popping scene right now. Olvido was the first album I listened to from the guy, released almost two years ago now, where he joined forces with London producer Zain to create an album that was vulnerable and relatable, feelings that are brought on by both Zain’s laidback, touching, and soulful beats and Chris’ confessional and open lyrics. Even back then, I thought that the way Chris approached the album was incredibly raw, more down-to-earth than a vast majority of rappers in this game are capable of. But with The Void, Chris Skillz takes an opportunity to really delve deep into his traumas, insecurities, flaws, personal perceptions, relationships, and so much more that get to the very core of the man as a human being who has overcome so much adversity in his life. Chris is baring his soul on this one, more than he did on Olvido by a long shot. I don’t want to take away from the emotional impact of these tracks by over-explaining, but suffice it to say that The Void is worth a detailed listen. Let’s not forget about Zain here, who kills it yet again on the production front with elegant beats that run the spectrum of vibes to get introspective over, nothing too confrontational, rather accentuating and elevating the gravity of Chris’ lyrics. This album is incredible, and deserves the ear of every person reading this right now: get to Chris’ Bandcamp and support this dude.
==> Chris' Bandcamp <==
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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DJ Muggs – Winter 2
Investment: $25.00
Cover Artist: Jones Jones
Going strong after damn near 30 years in the game, DJ Muggs is still putting up AOTY contenders with fresh sounds in 2021 with both collaborative projects and solo offerings. When I got back into this a few weeks ago there were a few albums that I had to go back and listen to that I had missed since February, and every one of Muggs’ albums made that cut. Hologram, Yelawolf, Rome Streetz, and Flee Lord all got the Soul Assassins treatment this year, all of which are solid pieces of New York darkness for you to sink your teeth into. This album here is a more traditional producer project, bringing in a gang of emcees to populate a suite of beats, a direct sequel (a rarity in Muggs’ discography) to the project Winter he dropped about a year ago. You’re gonna get some Meyhem Lauren, Roc Marciano, CRIMEAPPLE, and RLX among others, emcees that fit the bill for these dark and depraved beats. I can see why he’s putting out projects like this, as making projects with all of these amazing artists can lead to some sweet floor cuts that should see the light of day. I’m not saying any of these cuts are b-sides or subpar, but I can see why they wouldn’t have placed on their respective albums (and maybe we’re getting some sneak peeks at future albums as well? I’m holding out hope for an RLX album). Give this one your ears if you looking for that dark New York style; fans of V Don will be right at home here.
==> soulassassins.com <==
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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Napoleon Da Legend & Amerigo Gazaway – The World Changed
Investment: $9.00
Cover Artist: Amerigo Gazaway
You can always tell whenever an artist has really studied the hip-hop of the 90’s, because the structures of the verses, the directness of the lyrics, and the samples behind the beats are all steeped in the styles of that time period. Napoleon Da Legend, Paris-born who currently works out of Brooklyn, is an emcee who clearly came up on and takes inspiration from the rap legends, talking specifically about guys like Tupac and Biggie here. Tupac seems like a major point of influence for both Napoleon personally and The World Changed, using some 2Pac voice samples, reutilizing some of those famous beats, and constantly referencing the way Pac talked about his impact on the world and hip-hop at large. Napoleon’s rap style is structured, a hip-hop purist at his heart, flipping his words in a way that has this manufactured flash to them; you get the big rolling pimp shit, players anthems, and statements on his lyrical prowess, mostly steering away from the drug kingpin life. Everything about him as a rapper will be a breath of fresh air for you oldheads out there, but it works so fuckin well because the beats provided by Amerigo are *also* convincing throwbacks to those golden days of the genre. Gazaway has mostly stuck to remixes of popular albums from artists like Mos Def and Lauren Hill, but this is among the few projects where he groups up with a rapper for a full project. This album, from front to back, is full of beats that sound like they could have come straight out of 25 years ago; the drums are crunchy, the samples are powerful, and the DJ scratching you get every once in a while are fresh. Napoleon has dropped a ton already this year, giving me a lot to catch up on, and his consistent drops are good for everyone who wants consistent quality content in this underground thing. This album is only 9 bucks, so go support the man over on Bandcamp.
Cover Artist: Che
Wavy has only been around for a couple years, but in that time he has managed to garner a huge discography of production credits and full projects under his belt. He has a couple projects with a single emcee, but now we’re getting a more traditional producer album full of emcees that fit the style of the beats. What you’re gonna get with this one is a lot like the DJ Muggs project that we covered earlier, but the production style is much more vocal sample based and… out there. You’re listening to this to hear some cutting edge underground hip-hop beats, clever flips and brash production choices that keep you on your toes consistently, and has you wondering on every track “how will this emcee approach *this* beat?” The answer to that question every time is “with style”, because the features show the fuck up for this one. The coolest part about it is the diversity you’ll find on here: sure, it’s 100% underground hip-hop dudes from dudes around the US and Canada, but the different styles and lyrical approaches make it a fairly varied album all things considered. Guys like Rome Streetz, Asun Eastwood, Lord Juco, and Ty Farris all make memorable appearances on here, giving da Ghawd quality material to use. I look forward to seeing how big of an impact Wavy da Ghawd has on the underground scene, because from what I’ve seen so far, he’s looking valuable.
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Jedi Mind Tricks – The Funeral and the Raven
Investment: $9.99
Cover Artist: [Unknown]
I won’t lie, it’s a little disingenuous to call the past few releases from Vinnie and Stoupe a “Jedi Mind Tricks” album; without Jus, you may as well do what every other artist in todays underground is doing and call this a Vinnie Paz and Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind tape. So go into this expecting what you would from a new Vinnie Paz solo project, already a great proposition given how dope Vinnie has always been, nut know it’s different from those original JMT albums. Not having to worry about the beats behind it gives Paz more time to flesh out some of these songs thematically, being more topical in his approach to some of these subjects (I guess that’s a large part of the JMT experience as well I suppose). The JMT albums since Jus’ departure have usually been light on features outside of some key frequent collaborators, but time is made for some people Vinnie has put a heavy spotlight on recently like the fatal Recognize Ali and Pro Dillinger. Stoupe has always been a great producer, and this doesn’t change for The Funeral and the Raven; if anything, as time goes on, Stoupe has become more detailed and cinematic, being able to convey specific moods in the beats depending on the theme, utilizing instruments to convey conspiratorial, hopeful, and mysterious topics fairly effectively. It’s incredible that this outfit is still releasing albums after 20 years, but I think people who have been following them for that long might be a bit taken aback by the difference, while those who listen regularly to hip-hop’s underground will find themselves right at home with this new project.
==> JMT's Website <==
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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-----NEW TO STREAMING-----
Ty Farris – No Cosign Just Cocaine 4
Cover Artist: Artmorfate
Read About It Here: Weekly Fix #46 (‘21)
Spotify/YouTube/Apple Music
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Medhane – Do The Math
Cover Artist: Gregory Simmons II
