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 edition includes music from Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs, Clear Soul Forces and many more.
Without further ado, let's jump right into this past week's selection of killer tracks:
Action Bronson – single
Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa [Mixtape]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60503281" iframe="true" /]
Will Brennan – Prodigal Son [LP]
Naledge – Chicago Picasso 2 [LP]
Emilio Rojas – single
Clear Soul Forces – single
Murs & Fashawn – This Generation [LP]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60315856" iframe="true" /]
High Klassified & Kaytradamus – single
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/41398932" iframe="true" /]
Danny! – Payback [LP]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/59371426" iframe="true" /]
iLLmont – Shawty [LP]
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60328565" iframe="true" /]
Chase N. Cashe (of Surf Club) – single
J NiCS -single
Hollywood FLOSS – single
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60179399" iframe="true" /]
On The Rocks: Weekly Recap
Here's a five track recap of some of the best hip-hop covered this past 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.
For those who may have been snoozing at the wheel, here's your chance to play catch up:
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60448412" iframe="true" /]
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Dee- 1 “Failure Ain’t An Option” (Feat. Murs and tabi Bonney)
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b5E23NQW0E[/youtube]
PROJECT OF THE WEEK
With production credits for growing number of artists ranging from Action Bronson ("Blackbird"), Tanya Morgan ("Posted") to Pac Div ("Black Acura"), Chicago producer Thelonious Martin has compiled an impressive resume and proven himself to be quite the able beatsmith. With a sound and style akin to the rich soulfulness of iconic producers No I.D. and J Dilla and an experimental edge on par with the production work of MF DOOM.
While comparable in style, Martin's work is all but derivative and the young producer's versatilty and production chops are on full display on his latest instrumental LP, MCMXCII. Released in celebration of his milestone 20th birthday, which Martin celebrated last week, MCMXCII treats listeners to a collection of textured lo-fi instrumentals cuts. MCMXCII comes complete with 20 instrumental records each of which commemorate a year of the promising beatsmith's life.
Stream several tracks off the album and follow the link above (in the album title + album art) to purchase MCMXCII for the nominal price of $5 via Thelonious Martin's Bandcamp page.
Other Noteworthy Projects
G.O.O.D. Music
Cruel Summer
- Getting Out Our Dreams, Inc./
- The Island Def Jam Music Group
- September 18. 2012
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/60294556" iframe="true" /]
Upcoming Releases – September 25
Danny! – Payback [LP]
Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa [Mixtape]
iLLmont – Shawty [LP] (September 28)
Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 [LP]
Murs & Fashawn – This Generation [LP]
Weekly Flashback
A Tribe Called Quest – "Butter"
Today marks the 21st anniversary of the release of A Tribe Called Quest's sophomore album, The Low End Theory. Almost any hip-hop head worth their salt instantly perks up when they hear the upright bass sampled from Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers "A Chant for Bu" on the album's opening track "Excursions".
That now iconic opening bassline signaled the beginning of forward-thinking album which saw ATCQ's genius manifest itself in the form of an ultra-cohesive album full of crafty sample-based production that not only established and identified the cultural and historical union between hip-hop and jazz, but also offered a palatable collection of records that saw the lyrical prowess of Q-Tip and Phife Dawg blossom over a now memorable assortment of jazz-influenced soundscapes.
Known for bringing to the forefront the previously underrated mic skills of Phife Dawg, as well as showcasing ATCQ's signature tag-team interplay between Q-Tip and Phife, The Low End Theory saw Phife Dawg position himself from behind the shadow of the group's de facto leader Q-Tip with his expanded mic time on group's groundbreaking release.
Centered around a flip of Weather Report's"Young and Fine", "Butter", the LP's fourth track marked Phife's coming out party as the "Five Foot Assassin" took center stage on the record and graced the mic with his ever-cool buttery smooth wordplay. Cited as a major source of inspiration for a generation of rappers and producers, The Low End Theory has surely aged well and stood the test of time. Without any hesitation, take that stroll down memory lane and revisit A Tribe Called Quest's seminal LP.
Special Treat: Cookies n' Milk
As an extra special treat, I though it fitting to include a new mix from EARMILK favorite ∂eƒ Sound. Entitled, We.are.instrument(s).Vol.Ayyyye. the hour-long mix blends music from the likes of James Blake, Madlib, Afta-1, Onra,Hudson Mohawke. , So kick back and chill like a tall glass of milk and enjoy the mixing stylos of ∂eƒ Sound.
Tracklisting:
1. Makin Magic by Krampfhaft
2. Easy Easy by TNGHT
3. Pembroke by Airhead & James Blake
4. Ready For The World (Star Slinger Refix) by How 2 Dress Well
5. Good Kids by Lunice
6. Blue Clouds by Modeselector
7. Perfect Gain Structure by Krampfhaft
8. Drowning by Zack Sekoff
9. Tape Hiss by Madlib
10. Sweat Like Keith by Ta-ku
11. Lovely Bloodflow by Baths
12. 1st BOOM by Analogue MoNsTa
13. in the Mood by Art Department
14. L.O.V.E. by Onra
15. Move Around by Diplo
16. Swayin by Hi-Res
17. It's Over by Hwood
18. Autumn by Afta-1
19. Humble Bones by Labyrinth Ear
20. Battle for Middle you by Julio Bashmore
21. Van Vogue by Machinedrum
22. Look by ®C
23. 100 % by ®C
24. Paid In Full by A.Chal
25. See Thru to U by Zack Sekoff
26. Even Though by Giraffage & XXYYXX
27. NY is Killin me by Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
28. Booty 2 The Ground by ƱZ x CRNKN
29. Hustle by Ta Ku
30. Voices From Heaven by Kaytradamus & Sango
*all songs blended by ∂eƒ sound on TRAKTOR by Native Instruments.
| DEF SOUND | SOUNDCLOUD | TWITTER
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.
