Tosten Burks prefers sour skittles. With Pineapple Now-Laters, BJ the Chicago Kid drew comparisons to Bilal and D’Angelo, patron saints of sexy neo-soul. That was a little off-base. Dude is too good at hooks to nail him down as a “songwriter.” For BJ’s roots, look more local. What I’m saying is, R. Kelly was the […]

Tosten Burks can’t decide if CJ Spiller is the new Brian Westbrook or the new DeAngelo Williams. I don’t know what I’m looking for in the evolution of Lex Luger, but I guess this will do. Boisterous orchestras are replaced by rappity trap ambience on the Underachiever’s “Leaving Scraps,” and while neither Issa Dash nor […]

Tosten Burks is lusher than you ever expect. It’s as easy to make fun of Black Milk for so much Dilla apery over the years as it is to tease anyone who is so directly a product of his or her influences. Joey Bada$$ isn’t just like a golden age five elements snob, he is […]

Tosten Burks has spawned no offspring in his homeland. As Doom’s influence becomes more and more pervasive, I’ve wondered why the Metal Face never spawned any offspring in his homeland. UK rap stays grimy. Where are the dusty sample loons spitting nonsensical internal rhymes? Even with the man himself trapped across the Atlantic, the landscape […]

Tosten Burks drove a Sienna for a month last December and you know what, he liked the spaciousness. If you’re not bumping Dam-Funk in your minivan this summer, you’re missing the point of summer and the point of minivans. Further proving the brilliance of his revivalism, he’s getting funk icons like Slave-singer Steve Arrington to […]

Tosten Burks prefers root beer. I don’t think Vic Mensa thought his best friend would blow up before him. There’s just something about the way he goons around backstage at Chance shows waiting to spit his Cocoa Butter Kisses verse, not smiling, not really dancing, not even during the obligatory all-of-SaveMoney-wilds-out-on-stage moments. He’s still getting […]

Tosten Burks looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the plug-in Hummer. When you listen to new music every day, it’s easy to be cynical. You’re looking for music to prove itself to you. This is what breeds the sexploitation of cynical music. What critics love the most is counter-traditionalism. Rebellion. The “new.” But then there’s music […]

Tosten Burks found love in a Popeless place. The SaveMoney dilemma is that the crew carries the Chicago underground, but is also tasked with ending the city’s insularity. A lot of new label money depends on the successful nationalization of this burgeoning family. Chance, Vic Mensa, these guys are probably dominos, for better or for […]

Tosten Burks is pretty proud of his use of the word “dyad.” Here’s to pleasant surprises. Just when you thought Yelawolf was to forever be just an unappreciated slum-savant devolved into another bland Shady Records family member, he reminds you how gloriously weird he’s capable of being. “F.A.S.T Ride,” from the upcoming Trunk Muzik Returns, […]

Tosten Burks won signing day. The most annoying part about Finally Rich, aside from “Laughing to the Bank,” was the Chicago hip-hop narrative it encouraged the blog mafia to settle for. Drill this, drill that. As if the only thing this generation listened to in their youth was Gucci Mane. As if there wasn’t a […]