Apr
10

Down from a Huntable Surplus to One: The Return of Aesop Rock

Now that the Internet has decided that Danny Brown is the greatest rapper since Big Daddy Kane, maybe it can revise its opinion on Aesop Rock. If you recall, many of the same people who rode for Ian Bavitz from 2001-2004 decided to ignore him for the last ocho, largely because his name is Ian… Continue reading »

Feb
29

MaLLy & The Sundance Kid – “Once We’re Kings”

If you randomly asked whether the world needs more lyrically lyrical raps over hard drums and sampled horns, I would answer, “probably not.” But the reality is that if you rap well enough, ideas are irrelevant. What matters most is energy and the song itself. So Mally of Minnesnowta delivers anachronistic rhyming with a violence… Continue reading »

Oct
07

The Weather Underground: Evidence’s “Cats & Dogs”

Jonah Bromwich once kidney punched Al Roker. Evidence is the kind of rapper who provokes compliments that kind of sound like insults. He’s a steady, working-man, unspectacular, blue-collar, scrupulous rhymer, with a trademark flow that never gets boring. That should sound better than it sounds because the consistency that Ev has shown over the last… Continue reading »

Feb
22

Sach O: Freeway & Jake One – The Stimulus Package

Sach O feels sorry for you bloggers. The Stimulus Package comes in a fancy collectors edition with a money clip. It’s a collaboration between a guy who once worked with Jay-Z and a guy who was last seen working with MF DOOM. It’s also released on (OMFG!) Rhymesayers, an indie label best known for, ahem,… Continue reading »

Oct
06

BK-One ft. Brother Ali and Scarface-”American Nightmare”

“American Nightmare” has made the rounds, but hasn’t garnered the attention it deserves. The lead single from BK-One’s debut compilation, Radio Do Canibal, pares Houston hierophant Scarface with Minneapolis’ Brother Ali, a north-south meet-up as fluid as the Mississippi. The gentle down-tempo pianos angelic gospel choir, and dusty drums form a perfect foil to the… Continue reading »