The Forecast: 8-8-13
There was a bunch of dope matter to choose from this week so I just went with instincts. Dope vibes provided to you this week by Clear Blue, Handbook, GoYama, Haz Solo, Franco-Hill, Languid, and yagi. Mellow out with it.
Mac Miller ft. Niki Randa – I Am Who I Am (Official Video)
I realize I’m late on this post but I like the video too much not to still post it. Mac’s latest album had more of an introspective feel to it and this song is a perfect example of that. The airy vocals of Niki Randa and Mac’s laidback flows fit the dreamscape feel of the visuals to a tee. Go cop Watching Movies With The Sound Off
Mike Gao – Quadruple Entendre
Another dope HW&W presentation, this time with the distinct sounds being provided by Mike Gao. This style is heavy on intricate levels of sounds delicately balanced on top of each other without being to intrusive. I’m dubbing it the Jenga approach from henceforth. Everything seems upright to me, judge for yourselves below.
GodsConnect Video Mix Vol. 5
Don’t sleep on GodsConnect as far as the audio/video mashups are concerned, the results are usually ill. It doesn’t hurt to have Knxwledge, Haz Solo, Tuamie, Dibia$e, Ohbliv, PoptartPete, and Prof. Logick tracks to work with. And if you like the video get the mp3 mix.
Also peep this
Swarvy – Sport
Philadelphia beatsmith had me hooked from track one, because that one definitely got played more than once before I played the rest of the album. But the rest of the tracks can stand up on their own merit, it’s a project full of funk and dope flips. Enjoy
Stainless Steele – Aminated Dreams (produced by Ohbliv)
“Produced by Ohbliv” is generally a good start to making an ill song, also a chill song. This one seems to float through the eardrums at its own leisurely pace while forcing the listener to enjoy the scenery, and the wordplay. Kudos to the chefs.
JJ DOOM – GUV’NOR (BADBADNOTGOOD Version)
As far as dream collabs go this is pretty high up there for me. JJ DOOM’s already ill track gets an ominous touchup by the BBNG crew. Where underground acts are considered, DOOM and BBNG are two of my favorites. Be on the lookout for Keys To The Kuffs (Butter Edition) on iTunes August 20th.
ScHoolboy Q ft. Kendrick Lamar – Collard Greens (Video)
ScHoolboy Q didn’t try to reinvent the wheel or anything with this video, it’s pretty straightforward. But I fuck with the song so it’s whatever, waiting to hear OxyMoron.
Quasimoto – Catching The Vibe (Video)
I love when visuals and vocals fit together in perfect unison. The chill, almost drowsy stye of Quasimoto (a.k.a. Madlib) fits the vintage, psychedelic feel of this look into a vagrant vinly producer’s life. The narrative is interesting standing alone but the audio enhances it. Check out Yessir Whatever
Clear Soul Forces – Ain’t Playing (Official Video)
When you have four emcees who spit like this, every joint sounds like a 90’s posse cut. Just bars on top of more bars. The beat is simplistic enough to lend itself to this as well. Clear Soul Forces plan to release Gold PP7’s in conjunction with Fat Beat Records on Sept. 17th.
Legit – Figure 8 (prod. by Dee Lilly)
Surprise, it’s been awhile since we’ve heard from the homie Legit but new music has been dropped. Dee Lilly came through as usual with the beautifully crafted canvas, this one has some soul and swing to it. Oh, and SURPRISE is dropping in October. If you want to hear him spit before that and you’re in Chicago then catch him on the 14th.
The Forecast: 7-25-13
This week I was scoping for beats that had that knock, as evidence by the first two tracks from Tek.Lun and Evil Needle x Orijanus. It’s a bit smoother ride in the middle, with some thanks to the jazz-heavy tunes of Ruff Draft and phedee. Slw.kng, Ill Sugi, and Fl∆ming❍sis round out the set with some groovy stuff.
Tuned In: Episode 7 [Stratus/Mvstermind Einstein]
So I finally got to collab with Mvstermind for a Tuned In episode, this concept’s been in the works for awhile. I’m glad I picked him for this one because his synth-laden style of production fit perfectly for the ode to my childhood gaming memories. You’ll probably see some familiar sights. Also, this serves as the teaser for his ADDVeggieTape, so be expecting more fresh beats (no pun I promise) in the future.
Sir Froderick – D’void Of Funk
The title is a bit of a misnomer, considering that this mixtape is literally all funk. Or more accurately all Funkadelic, chopped in Sir Froderick’s trademark style. Insect Records and Wax Poetics combined to put this out.
Rez – Utopia EP
I can always count on Houston producer, Rez, for the gritty, lo-fi, smooth shit. There’s a diverse array of samples on here, from funk, to jazz and other genres. My personal favorite is “Much Luhv”, that was beautifully chopped up.
TiRon & Ayomari – Big Apple Don’t Chew (prod. by Denaun Porter)
Probably my favorite offering from this duo thus far, what makes it even doper is that they used a beat from Denaun Porter’s Porter Chops Glasper tape. Also the fact that they were able to make social commentary/critique in a witty and catchy way is a bonus.
JMSN – Love & Pain (Official Video)
The instrumentation on this track is what really hooked me, anybody who knows me knows those horns caught my attention from the hump. The video matches the tone of the song well, both have a flair for the dramatic and swift tempo changes. In case you were wondering, this track is from †Priscilla†.
Soul Khan ft. Nicholas Ryan – Morning Alone (prod. by Abnormal) (Music Video)
More visuals from the joint project from Soul Khan and Abnormal, Psalm. This is what music videos are supposed to be, imagery that works along with the song to present a story.
10th Letter – YESTERDAYS DREAMS// TOMORROWS PATHS
Before I even get to the music I have to comment on the artwork, particularly the full TMNT decal the young lad is adorned with. That nostalgia feeling kicked in and I remembered my days rocking the Turtles’ tees. But I digress, this experimental hip-hop tape is pretty spiffy. It’s a nice blend of inorganic and earthy sounds.
Pragmatic Theory – Elevated Patterns
You can count on the Pragmatic Theory folks to put together a dope project. This one’s full of throwback R&B tunes flipped in new ways, which definitely made me smile. Stream and download below.
Jesse Boykins III – P.O.P. [Purpose Or People]
Jesse Boykins III is one of the most slept on R&B cats (even though I don’t think his sound can be boxed into one genre). There’s a bunch of dope remixes and covers on this project to reassure me of that judgment.
Knxwledge – Hexual.Sealings.Prt.5
Of all the beat series Knxwledge has going on, Hexual Sealings has consistently been my favorite. This one didn’t disappoint at all, everything on here is that smackery.
MeLo-X – Handle It (Official Music Video)
Brooklyn rapper/producer Melo-X, dropped the first visuals from God: HiFi. The imagery is as hazy and free-flowing as the song itself, but it’s still minimalistic.
Sango – North
That up-tempo, “trap” sound is stellar when executed in a fresh way. Soulection does a great job of backing artist that manage to bring their own flair to the sound. Take Sango for example, his work is distinct and most times epic.
Looped DayDreams 