This week had some volume, and a couple of gems to match. You’ll also see that I now have Apple Music links and playlists for y’all to use.
Here’s a link to the Week #9 Playlist for y’all
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Flee Lord & 38 Spesh – Loyalty & Trust
Very short, but packs an enormous punch. Spesh is only on one track, but came up with all of the beats (every one of them solid), with Flee on the mic doing what he does best in his growly and hot-tempered attitude. The features (besides the shockingly bad Termanology verse), are all killer, with 38 and Che Noir doing their thing and RJ Payne becoming one of my favorite emcees this year. Gangsta / psychedelic hip-hop.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Loyalty & Trust:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Blueface – Dirt Bag
You know what? This slaps. Blueface is unironically enjoyable to listen to. He’s a goofy, stupid, wacky dude with a couple of funny lines and a passion for mopping. I’m not going to say he has flow, because to be straight he really doesn’t have flow, but that’s just a part of the dudes charm. West Coast gangsta / borderline comedy hip-hop.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Dirt Bag:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Tha God Fahim – Synchro
This is Fahim’s fourth or fifth release this year, and this one places middle of the road. Not as many mixing issues as a couple of the others. Starts strong with the Mach-Hommy feature, then it’s kind of hit or miss. Worth a listen but I don’t fault for skipping. Left-field boom-bap
Here’s the Bandcamp/YouTube link to listen to Synchro:
Bandcamp / YouTube
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Sauce Walka – New Sauce City
It looks like Sauce did one track with Westside Gunn and decided to go full underground New York on us. Dark, moody, but sub-heavy sampled beats. Walka dials back his pimp-slapping a bit with this one, with a few more introspective and reflective cuts. For sure the best thing I’ve heard from him so far, and hope he keeps on in this direction. New York gangsta rap
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to New Sauce City:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Trippie Redd – !
About the same quality of his last project. 25% of it has some merit, 50% is lazy indulgent freestyling, and 25% is unlistenable. I’m slightly more miffed than usual that these beats are wasted on Trippie because there is some heat from the production standpoint. Melodic pop-trap
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to !:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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RJmrLA – On God
Solid project from RJ. At 20 tracks and sitting right at an hour, it may overstay it’s welcome, but it’s nice to see RJ move from a one off feature on YG albums to someone who can hold my attention as a main artist. Good melodies here, funny wordplay, nice range of features, and hard-hitting modern west-coast production.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to On God:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Rock Ross – Port of Miami 2
Why is it with Ross that half of his album sounds a decade old and the other half is mid? There are highlights, the tracks with Denzel Curry, Lil Wayne, and Gunplay in particular, but these beats for the most part sounds so horribly dated. And Ross’s flow is literally the exact same on every track. It’s cold but it gets old quick.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Port of Miami 2:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Ugly God – Bumps & Bruises
In another context I would praise this, but the fact we’ve waited two years for this is just disappointing. Ugly God is average both on the mic and on the boards, dropping what amounts to a glorified Pi’erre Bourne mixtape. And the only feature on the non-deluxe version is… Takeoff? Really? There aren’t even that many funny bars on here. Soundcloud rap.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Bumps & Bruises:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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-------SINGLES-------
BROCKHAMPTON – IF YOU PRAY RIGHT
It’s better than the last single: better hook, good verses from everyone involved, cute beat with a horn sample that might be a little too loud? There’s still… something… missing, however. I believe that they can make good music, but I don’t think they’ll ever make music with that spark again.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to IF YOU PRAY RIGHT:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Snoop Dogg – Let Bygones Be Bygones
I’m conflicted with this one. On one hand we have a supremely layered and smooth west-coast cut, with awesome vocal harmonies and minimal drums in the background. But, on the other hand, we have an apology and extension of olive branch to… Suge Knight? Really? I know he played a large part in Snoop’s early career, but that man is long gone.Let’s not let bygones be bygones and leave this dude locked up.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Let Bygones Be Bygones:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Cousin Stizz (Feat. Freddie Gibbs) – Toast 2 That
Stizz’s voice can be a bit grating, and the beat is simplistic but has a little mystery to it, but’s it’s a decent track. Freddie renegades this beat and suns Stizz completely. I don’t see how Stizz could hear Freddie’s verse and not say “I should rewrite mine”
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Toast 2 That:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Higher Brothers (Feat. Snoop Dogg) – Friends & Foes
It’s cool, even if Snoop is just a novelty here. The beat reminds me of their Open It Up track off of Five Stars, sort of cutely somber. The Brothers do their thing here, nothing to really write home about.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Friends & Foes:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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T-Pain (Feat. G-Eazy) – Girlfriend
T-Pain deserves all the props in the world for maintaining relevance for so long. This track has a catchy beat and hook, trademark autotune from T-Pain, and a nasty feature from G-Eazy. It checks all of the boxes, and succeeds in style. Pop-rap
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Girlfriend:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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SAINt JHN (Feat. Meek Mill) – Anything Can Happen
Heavy Lil Baby vibes on here; not necessarily a bad thing. Catchy melody, strong hook, but I’m not sure if I like the quality of JHN’s voice, feels a little too basic. Meek verse is alright.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Anything Can Happen:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Fetty Wap (Feat. Tee Grizzley) – Zoo
Serviceable song, with a couple of great verses from Tee Grizzley. Fetty is alright, but I’ve never really been a fan. Beat is basic trap.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Zoo:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Ty Dolla $ign (Feat. Juicy J & Project Pat) – Hottest in the City
Totally unexpected collaboration from $ign and the Memphis legends Juicy J and Project Pat. It’s sort of a hodgepodge of three different beats that all slap, but I can’t help but think it’s kind of a mess. Also Ty kinda takes a backseat to the other two and the beats. I love it, but it definitely isn’t the most well crafted “song”.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Hottest in the City:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Megan Thee Stallion (Feat. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign) – Hot Girl Summer
Not really feeling this track to be honest. There was a lot of potential here that was squandered in a chase to get a radio single. Pretty much everything about the track is mid, from the beat to the hook to the verses. Needs more bite.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Hot Girl Summer:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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Lil Pump (Feat. Smokepurpp) – HARDY BOYS FREESTYLE
Obviously a leaked track from a while back, this is old-school Pump at it’s finest. Short, high-energy, stupid repetitive lyrics, and quick flows. I should be happy hearing this, but I only long for the days when Pump was like this… Definition of Soundcloud rap
Here’s the YouTube/Soundcloud link to listen to HARDY BOYS FREESTYLE:
YouTube / Soundcloud
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Powers Pleasant (Feat. G Perico & Buddy) – Can’t Fucc Wit It
Slow, heavy, slightly barren beat, topped with the unexpected collab with the Beast Coast producer and West-Coasters Perico & Buddy. I think the combination is too alien to work well, but it’s short enough to enjoy a few spins.
Here’s the Spotify/YouTube link to listen to Can’t Fucc Wit It:
Spotify / YouTube / Apple Music
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