May
23

MobbDeen: Singles Going Steady: Big K.R.I.T., Curren$y, & Galatic and Mystikal

Yeah, that’s Deen. I’ve always been mildly obsessed with the idea of the “single.” It really started after Jigga and 50 made sales/first week sales accomplishments to taunt their rivals with and something for the more shallow (yeah) rap fan to hang their internet commenting hat on. As in: “yeah, the shit was dope but… Continue reading »

May
04

The Roses of Fergenstein

There is no truth to the rumor that Abe has become A$AP Beame. Or is there? The World of A$AP is expanding and we’ve got to enjoy ourselves while we’re here. Cleveland, Harlem and Houston were blended brilliantly on the A$AP debut. Rocky found his Houston inspiration in drank and car culture and the Houston… Continue reading »

Apr
22

Rolling Up on the Radio

I returned to the Mary Anne Hobbs show this week to introduce Schoolboy Q to British radio audiences and implicitly encourage inebriated auto use via “Hands on the Wheel.” Thankfully, their definition of the Underground is vastly different from ours. Mass transit, always a good idea. Schoolboy and ASAP’s collabo has been getting burn on… Continue reading »

Jan
19

Fly, By, High: Curren$y and Ski Stay Simple

SKI BEATZ FEAT. CURREN$Y – FLY BY from DD172 on Vimeo. Curren$y has figured out more ways to write songs around the rhyme combination “fly” and “high” than any man in history. For this, he deserves our eternal respect. Watch the video and try to figure out how a man who talks about trips to… Continue reading »

Jan
18

S.O.P.A.

No need to grandstand or offer you a self-righteous diatribe. We’re taking the day off because Cliff and Reggie wouldn’t steer us wrong.

Sep
13

RL Grime – “Grapes Alla Vodka”

RL Grime’s Soundcloud page follows three people: Kingdom, Girl Unit, and his alter-ego, Clockwork. That should give you an idea of what the New York native is working with — post-Joker London future bass music that breathes with the pulmonary smoothness of a non-smoker, and the hypnotic transitions of a chronic drug user. Admittedly, it’s… Continue reading »

Sep
03

I Must Get Back to Dance Centrum in Stuttgart in Time to See Kraftwerk

More Metropolis machine music. Kraftwerk on Teutonic TV circa 1970. Everyone rightfully cites Trans-Europe Express as the masterpiece, but those first three albums are worth memorizing in their own right. This song reminds me of a German tribute to the building of the trans-continental railroad and American manifest destiny by people who only knew it… Continue reading »

Jul
26

Psychedelic Shack: The Falsetto Funk of The Stepkids

Curtis Mayfield can’t be topped but he’ll never go out of vogue. Throw down a funky bassline and chase it with a trill falsetto and someone will always make room for one more. And with Thundercat, My Morning Jacket and The Stepkids, its a boom time for those slanted towards weightless jazz fusion.  Lately, Stones… Continue reading »

Jun
29

Tupac Back

Unless he returns from his clandestine Angolan abode, we won’t be getting any new Tupac interviews anytime soon. So consider this pair of unreleased diss tracks additions to the historical record. A cursory Google search reveals little about their origin, but considering the DJ Quik appearance and the Don Makaveli alias, it’s probably safe to… Continue reading »

Jun
27

Sach O: Araabmuzik – Electronic Dream

Sach O can’t believe this shit. We should have seen this coming. Last year’s “Dipset Trance party” mixtape may have sounded like an Onion headline but it nevertheless existed, daring you to listen to it for a laugh before realizing that no one was trying to be funny. Electronic Dream is even more straight faced:… Continue reading »

Older posts «