O.C.may never receive the proper dues he’s long deserved. The BK rapper, one-time Crooklyn Dodger and D.I.T.C. representative became an underground legend due to his carefully crafted verses and thoughtful storytelling. His 6th album “Trophies,” produced entirely by Detroit beatmaker Apollo Brown, dropped in May; it was his first solo album in six years and […]

Detroit producer Apollo Brown has mastered the art of the sample, supplying soul-blessed bangers for underground royalty like Danny Brown, Has-Lo, Elzhi and Finale. “Trophies,” his collaboration with Brooklyn rhyme legend O.C. dropped at the top of the month. It’s his fourth back-to-front production effort for an emcee, following albums for NY’s Haasan Mackey, Detroit […]

Aaron Matthews is open-minded. Has anyone cultivated more of an absurd legacy than the Rugged Man? Having rubbed shoulders with Sadat, Biggie and the Wu, RA links up with Rhymesayers stalwart Psalm One for a classic battle of the sexes as they ponder the delusion of open relationships. Bumpy Knuckles pops up to flex muscles […]

I’ve never been to Detroit but I grew up in Toronto, with Michigan just across the lake. Between Chicago and Detroit, the Midwest is having a moment right now. The cities are exploding with promising young rappers and overlooked local legends, Bandcamp, Twitter and YouTube providing the crucial arteries to broker homegrown talent to the […]

You think you know funk? The real funk? We don’t roll with track listings here. We at the Passion are proud to present an exclusive drunk and live mix from Toronto producer Frank Dukes who you may know from work for Ghostface Killah (“Purified Thoughts”, “In Tha Park”), 50 Cent (“Respect It Or Check It”) […]

One half of Crown Nation, Detroit spitter/producer Quelle Chris (@quellechris) does double duty as minimal synth one-man band Awesome in Outerspace and a zonked-out rap wonderkind with a lot to say for himself. His excellent album Shotgun and Sleek Rifle got substantial burn around these part. Since we already got him on the line for […]

Sometimes your mission finds you. For Daniel Sewell, a Black-Filipino kid from Linwood, Detroit, his career was never a choice. Danny never learned how to rap, words came together in his head even at elementary school age. Borrowing the name of his favorite Reservoir Dogs character, Danny Brown found joy ripping into the twisted corners […]

Exile deserves every ounce of renown he receives. The LA native is an MPC maestro, a producer, a rapper, and now a Nas collaborator. But first he was Aleksander Manfredi, who  started with a pre-fame Aloe Blacc in rap duo Emanon, recording several singles, cassettes and the 2005 album The Waiting Room. Production for Mobb […]

Aaron Matthews isn’t American, but he gets the gist. Among popular rappers, Emimem’s sense of self-awareness is rivalled by only Jay and (arguably) 50 Cent. On his ’97 song “Low Down, Dirty,” he imitates a backpacker critiquing the Slim Shady EP: “Slim Shady, his tape is dope, I love it/It’s rugged, but he needs to […]

Aaron Matthews is so tasteful that he refrained from making a single Frito-Lays reference. Quick history lesson: C.H.I.P.$ used to go by Chips D’nero as 1/3rd of Danny Brown’s old group Reservoir Dogs. Coming off a scene-stealing verse on The Hybrid’s “Detroit 187”, his new tape Couch Potato should rightly serve as the D-Town emcee’s […]