Welcome back for this week's edition of Straight No Chase, your one-stop shop source for all things hip-hop here on EARMILK. This comprehensive weekly feature aims to share hip-hop based content we may have missed during the past week, while also highlighting memorable content we did cover. In addition to the recap of our best hip-hop posts, SNC also includes a Video of the Week, Project of the Week, and a brief list of recently released noteworthy projects and upcoming releases.
As any hip hop head worth their salt knows, these days music floods the blogosphere by the millisecond. Consequently, the landscape of hip-hop is forever changing. There are countless rappers, both established and up-and-coming, as well as renowned and budding producers and beatsmiths dropping their fair share of dope music for the listening masses. It is our mission to mine the interweb for both audio and visual gems, delivering them straight to you for your auditory consumption. But enough with the jaw jacking: let's cut straight to the chase.
Straight Killer, No Filler
Though people may get the impression that music bloggers and writers are freaks of nature who robotically comb the Internet for music, never missing a beat, I am here to assure you that we too are fallible humans who in the process of bringing dope music to the masses, may miss a good banger or two along the way.
This week's delivery includes a Blended Babies produced song from Detroit's Boldy James, two leaks from Closed Session Vol. 2 LP one featuring The Chef himself, Raekwon and Tanya Morgan, a track taken off of DIEMON member Russ' new album 5280, the lead single for Lucas Rivers' upcoming EP, Rolling Weekends (August 3) and a host of other dope tracks.
Without further ado, let's jump right into this past week's selection of (22) killer tracks:
Boldy James – single
L.E.P. Bogus Boys – Dont Feed Da Killaz Vol.4 [Mixtape]
Ro Blvd – Heart Pounding Panic [LP]
ShowYouSuck – Girls, Girls, Girls [EP]
SonReal – Good News [Mixtape]
Raekwon – Closed Session Vol. 2 [LP]
Reese – Reese Vs. The World II [LP]
Clyde Carson – STSA (Something To Speak About) [Mixtape]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/54067891" iframe="true" /]
John Anthony – single
Vince Staples x Michael Uzowuru– Mick Boogie & HYPETRAK: Represent The Stripes [Mixtape]
Miles Jones – Act So Strange [EP]
Russ – 5280 [LP]
Scotty – The Jiffy Cornbread Experience [Mixtape]
Nike Nando – single
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/53883551" iframe="true" /]
Mike WiLL Made It – Mike Will – Est. In 1989 (Part 2) [Mixtape]
Tanya Morgan – Closed Sessions Vol. 2 [LP]
Mikkey Halsted – Castro [Mixtape]
The Black Opera – singles
Lucas Rivers – Rolling Weekends [EP]
N.O.R.E. – Student of The Game [LP]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/53968387" iframe="true" /]
Nakim – YNWA+$ (Young N*ggas With Attitude & Money) [LP]
[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/54038676" iframe="true" /]
On The Rocks: Weekly Recap
Here's a five track recap of some of the best hip-hop covered this week on EARMILK. Take a couple of minutes to stroll down memory lane and revisit a handful of tracks brought to you earlier in the week.
Earlier in the week we showcased Adult Swim's latest single by Flying Lotus which featured Earl Sweatshirt, Captain Murphy and Lloyd Banks' new mixtape, V6: The Gift. The latter half of the week's hip-hop coverage featured Ta-ku's second volume of his J. Dilla tribute project, 50 Days For Dilla, the second leak from Sir Michael Rocks upcoming solo album and an André 3000 assisted leak off Rick Ross' God Forgives, I Don't LP.
For those who may have been snoozing at the wheel, here's your chance to play catch up:
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
While Motor City native Denmark Vessey is a newcomer to EARMILK that is soon to change. Known for his consistent output of dope vids, the Crown Nation emcee blessed viewers with another visual release for his brash cut "IDGAF (I Don't Give A F#@k)".
Mr. Vessey makes it quite clear that he give no fucks with abrasive rhymes claiming to be Hermain Cain with hoes on his dick and the power to slap grills and rearrange faces Daffy Duck style .With that, check out Vessey's Mario "Khalif" Butterfield and Edouard Pierre directed video below and look out for more the Detroit rapper.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYgFUxPi2Dk[/youtube]
• DENMARK VESSEY | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | SOUNDCLOUD •
PROJECT OF THE WEEK
Despite the minor delay of his debut album, My Name Is Shawn, Inglewood-bred rapper Shawn Chrystopher came through as scheduled with a consolation project in the form of his new mixtape, Lovestory. The buzz for the project has increasingly been palpable following the release of "One of My Homies" earlier this year.
The mixtape includes features from GLC, Dom Kennedy, Kris Kasanova, Mann, Stunnaman and Phil Ade and production primarily handled by Zaire Koala and Cameron Wallace. The 15-track tape serves a fitting prelude to Shawn's debut which will be primarily produced by Timbaland. Check out Lovestory and look out for My Name Is Shawn which is due out mid-September.
Other Noteworthy Projects
Upcoming Releases – July 31
Friday Flashback
Goodie Mob – "I Didn't Ask to Come"
Long before coming into his own alongside producer Danger Mouse as 1/2 of Gnarls Barkley, finding huge commercial/crossover success with his chart topping single "Fuck You" and becoming a judge on The Voice, Cee Lo Green was an integral member in the Southern hip-hop group Goodie Mob. The Atlanta quartet made a big splash on the hip-hop scene in 1995 with their Organized Noize produced debut album, Soul Food.
Along with Outkast's Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, Soul Food helped place Atlanta's hip-hop scene on the map in the mid-90s and gave the group their first certified gold album. Taken from Soul Food, "I Didn't Ask to Come" showcases the group's collective lyrical prowess behind some sparse head nod inducing production, both elements which in large part characterized the groups first two albums. With a new album currently in the works one can only wonder what the Mob has to offer listeners in 2012 and beyond.
That's all for this week's edition of Straight No Chase. Thanks for checking in and checking out our fresh selection of all things hip-hop. As always, feel free to comment on this week's tunes and/or offer up any suggestions and music and video submissions for the subsequent edition of Straight No Chase.
