Throwback video in honor of the return of Kobe Bean Bryant, the 23rd best rapping shooting guard in NBA history behind Dana Barros and Allen Iverson. The original Jewelz was not a true point. Sorry. I apologize for being half-WOL from the site of late, but I was writing words. Some of them involved the return of the 11th Letter and how the Lakers have been playing in his absence. Yes, I reveal that Kobe spent the off-season doing bicep curls in an infinite mirror while blaring Kanye’s “I AM A GOD.” That’s a little thing called investigatory journalism. As usual, the links below are songs that I would recommend to a friend who enjoys using his ears to consume digital rhythmic content.
The Outfitx, TX drunk drive back with their latest cognac-swerving, UFO-spotting, Texas astral funk rap. The review will come soon from Mad Max Bell, but if you’re looking for bad automotive advice that sounds so right, this must be the place. Also recommended with this 5-Hour mix of classic H-Town rap to bump until you are slurring and sanging.
Hudson Mohawke is a Scottish producer, friend of Kanye, and Tweet connoisseur. I am referred to the Timbo and Missy collaborator, not the social media network. However, he did celebrate getting 100K likes on Facebook by compiling a mix of his edits, which you can procure here.
Everybody’s sworn favorite, Kevin Gates combines with Shyst Red from the Black Migos Gang to have a song about being face down which can be a metaphor for sex or death– so Rap Genius tells me.
BLK HRTS drop the video for BRK T M (Bart At Me), which flips The Stooges into something that resembles rap made by the demon dog from Ghostbusters.
Milo will yell Hellfyre Club through 17 muzzles, finds the NW passage between Alopecia-era Why, Atmosphere, and Open Mike Eagle. The man whose parents call him Rory also released a new project under the name Scallops Hotel, which may rival Rick Ross for masterful crustacean referencing.
The Kid Wara kicking the karate, 98-Roc-A-Fella, Beans in the back with the loaded clip flow.
Schoolboy Quincy bucking for next year’s title from GQ, controversy-non-controversy be damned.
This is a documentary on the Low End Theory done by sometime contributor Alex Dwyer. I have been told that I am in it, speaking words, but there is no amount of money you can pay me to watch myself on camera.
Bronson was clearly the inspiration for this year’s Red Sox, even though he’s from New York. That’s the kind of run he’s on. Get an earring. Being the bee’s knees is the new swag.
A few years ago, Mann was sampled Nu-Shooz and had a regional hit called “Buzzin.” I always suspected he could rap better than he let on and this is in that vein. Some conspiracy pyramid David Icke rap right for you if you jam Underachievers and Ab-Soul, and believe that they discovered Atlantis last week.
Some jungle-disco from LA’s Pharaohs, who I profiled earlier this year and released one of the year’s finest dance records.
If you’re still mourning the 10-year anniversary of the death of Elliott Smith, there is LA songwriter Ethan Gold, with poignant songs to send the dagger into your rib cage.
Has-Lo remixes Castle’s “Krillz.” Some grimy future-is-bleak rap in the vein of Cannibal Ox meets 90s Queensbridge killer rap.
The world’s most trustworthy simian digs up some soulful music that was aptly described as a “future version of a so so def bass allstars compilation.”
A full review will come of the Sweeney Kovar/Classic Drug References set that this comes from, but here is Danny Brown in his 2010 Hybrid-era Detroit-as-dystopia style.
Hellfyre Club chronic connoisseur Taurus Scott turns “Tell Me You’re That Somebody” into a very hard juke jam.
In case you were wondering, Ariel Pink is still weird.
Spark Master Tape still very knocking, still very goony.
Tribe. Busta. Scenario. Yeezus. Jeebus.
All the samples from Doggystyle to make you ask yourself why are you so fly and why are you so high.
Daz rhyming over old Zapp and funk intro’s, concrete evidence that the Dam and Snoop collabo is causing the West Coast veterans to re-discover their roots. That and the ubiquity of Charlie Wilson.
Fast Times is a new artist on 100% Silk, who don’t miss, and this is very very smooth.
New Gangsta Gibbs to keep you in danger of incarceration.
Ice Berg, proving that Don Logan is not the only dreadlocked dude from Miami who makes great Southern stick-up kid trap.
Speaking of Ricardo Morales….
