Image via Something Something Brax/Instagram
“It’s 6:16 in LA somewhere,” Donald Morrison says right before pushing his ideological enemy in front of a moving subway.
SieteNameKeek & 88thagang – “FABO”
The most exciting new rapper in the San Diego scene has always been indebted to Bay Area’s hyphy, lingo-laden regional bangers. SieteNameKeek is a mix between Keak Da Sneak and Mistah F.A.B in that he can do incredible things with his voice and his music is always fun. This is bombastic, jubilant, and unpredictable rap music.
”FABO” is the most entertaining non-Bay Area West Coast rap song in recent memory. In just barely over two minutes, he and 88thagang effortlessly cycle through different flows and voices. And the beat is better than almost anything on GNX too.
Something Something Brax – “Big Guy”
The mystic poet laureate of Portland, OR’s underground rap scene, Something Somthing Brax has been grinding for years, and hasn’t made a bad song yet. He’s closely aligned with Portland DIY legends like friend-of-the-blog Old Grape God and local producer Smyth. His latest is some of his best produced and most mature yet.
Listening to “Big Buy,” I’m struck by its casual vulnerability. You may miss it, because Brax is also extremely quick, clever, and funny. Every line is deliberate and the music video – directed by Coastal Noah – is a work of art.
“I buy expensive clothes just to feel gorgeous, even though I can’t afford it, it’s unimportant,” is my favorite line. It’s so refreshing to hear rap that isn’t braggadocious to the point of unrelatability, but also isn’t too class-conscious to be corny – not that there isn’t room for both, but Brax gets this better then even J Cole has in years, and that’s Cole’s whole raison d’etre.
Daylyt – “Hiyu”
I’ve always been a fan of LA battle rapper Daylyt’s clear genius, and if you don’t know him by now, just go on YouTube and figure it out. But in classic battle rapper fashion, he’s never truly been able to make a good song, let alone an album! And I’m not trying to trash Daylyt, I truly believe he could out-rap basically anyone except Kendrick at this point. It’s just hard to make the switch from battle rap to actual album building.
With “Hiyu,” Daylyt proves us all wrong with a surprisingly simpatico response to Joey Badass’s pathetic attempt to challenge the west to some kind of lyric duel in the months after the biggest rap battle since Jay Z and Nas.
Drexthejoint – “Robbin”
DrexTheJoint has an intensity that reminds me of early Da Baby, except with a West Coast accent. “Robbin” is a single off his latest project, The One Who Did, which showcases the SoCal rapper’s ability to put together a cohesive work. The beat and cadence is heavily indebted to the flows popularized and perfected in the Flint and Detroit, Michigan scenes, with artists like Rio Da Yung Og, Yn Jay, Peeze and Louie Ray. Nevertheless, Drex still makes it his own adding his Santa Ana flare to great effect.
fakemink – “Kacey Lola”
“Kasey Lola,” which some foolhardy American blog readers and non-pill addicts may not know, is the nickname for generic Xanax, sold in Europe as the genetic brand, “Ksalol.” They come in either 1 mg blister packs or the coveted 2 mg blister packs (DM me if you find any, I will dispose of them properly, scouts honor.) Kasey Lola is the clever nickname kids have come up with for Ksalol pills in the EU where, much like big cities in the US, it’s available in person on the black market or via the Telegram app.
I’ve been annoyed by the greater content machine ignoring organically buzzing music from the American inner cities in favor of very ephemeral regional bullshit like Nettspend or Ian or whoever. My deepest fear is becoming a cranky old head, but then when I tell people about this music who aren’t fourteen or have faced some life adversity, they’re all like ‘yeah this shit sucks ass and won’t be around unless the nerds take over,” which seems to have already happened.
Fakemink is an exception to the rule. The vlog industrial complex gatekeepers who decide which white teenager is allowed to do borderline racist mimicry have decided Fakemink has passed the test. And you know what, let’s let it slide. The music is bouncy and relatable and you can tell it isn’t made by someone with no friends meant to be listened to by someone who grew up with no friends. What a breath of fresh air when surrounded by nerdy tastemakers of the highest order.
Emptying the Chamber
