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DOWNLOAD: “Reset” (DLRN f/Prometheus Brown & Illecism)

206up — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:07:29 +0000

The Sacramento hip-hop duo DLRN (formerly known as “Delorean” — name change presumably due to the existence of the indie rock outfit of the same moniker) has released a new EP called The Bridge which can be had for free here. Similar in style and substance to the group’s debut release, No More Heroes, this new eight-track collection is heavier on soul and collaborative endeavors, including the song “Reset” featuring Seattle rap hero, Prometheus Brown (aka. Geo of Blue Scholars).

(Click here to continue reading at Seattle Show Gal…)

DOWNLOAD: “Clarity Mixtape” (Logics w/DJ B-MELLO)

206up — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:00:04 +0000

South Sound emcee Logics blesses the Northwest with a full-length mixtape. Nice to finally have this much material compiled in one place from this cat. Geo has been telling the public for a minute that the rapper also known as Young Ghangas is hungry. Hit the album covers below for the D/L link and see what’s on his menu.

DOWNLOAD/LISTEN: “Air 2 A Bird” (Crow Hill)

206up — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:32:59 +0000

Inspiration is as fleeting as a rainstorm in a desert. Sometimes, however, when we’re found in unwanted situations, ingenuity inevitably finds us.

A few months ago, an unfortunate detention by the powers-that-be grounded Gabriel Teodros in New York, when he was originally scheduled to spread his uplifting brand of hip-hop around the globe. The album Air 2 A Bird is the result of that internment.

From an undesirable predicament, GT and frequent collaborator Amos Miller (together re-borne as Crow Hill) found inspiration where most would only find insipidness. Read the entire story here. Air 2 A Bird is simultaneously the child of political vagary and perhaps evidence that order exists in the universe even though disorder seems the rule of the day. The lesson? Always listen to the turbulence made by the wings around us.

Click image for D/L link

DOWNLOAD: “Summertime in the SEA” (Blue Scholars)

206up — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 15:24:07 +0000

A 2010 Seattle summer anthem from The Town’s favored sons, Blue Scholars. Windows down, volume up!

Click image for D/L link

DOWNLOAD: “Seattle’s Best Free Compilation” (Compiled by Mario Sweet w/Justo)

206up — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:36:44 +0000

Call this free compilation, Seattle Hip-Hop for Dummies. All you out of state heads who don’t know yet, download and get hip. Click on the album covers below or here for the D/L link.

(Courtesy Mario Sweet and Justo from The Physics crew.)

VIDEO: “RA Scion and Charles Mudede” (by Chase Jarvis)

206up — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:00:25 +0000

Seattle’s King of Multimedia, Chase Jarvis, facilitates a meditative discussion on hip-hop between Seattle’s King of Liberal Highbrow, Charles Mudede, and the King of Self-Righteous Rap (in a good way), RA Scion.

VIDEO: “I Got Love For You” (Meez)

206up — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:15:50 +0000

Seatown as Gangsta-land? 2-0-6 oh-gee Meez knows that side of our picture-perfect hamlet exists.

DOWNLOAD: “No Shirt” (Brothers From Another)

206up — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:06:21 +0000

“We go front back and around the globe/Put your hands in the air if you’re ready to roll,” declare Breez and Goonstar, the two young bucks of don’t-call-em-kiddie-rap-outfit, Brothers From Another.

Around the globe, really? Let’s just shoot for “around the Puget Sound” first and see what happens, okay fellas? Still, BFA is a breath of fresh air; their style is of the throwback West Coast variety and they always sound like they’re smiling in their raps.

Justo makes the beat here. A throwaway track for him certainly, but it gets the job done for BFA. Click below for the download, fam.

Click image for D/L link.

DOWNLOAD: “Culture” (Def Dee & Language Arts f/Chev)

206up — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:27:30 +0000

Thus far, the best hip-hop album to fall from the Puget Sound’s gray skies in 2010 is Gravity by Def Dee and Language Arts (read 206UP.COM’s gushing Review here). Cue the album up on your headphones, close your eyes and feel yourself transported back to the early to mid-90′s when New York’s boom-bap was re-defined for an entire generation of hip-hop heads. On Gravity, Def and La have recreated that era’s sound with an affinity and attention to detail that could only come from two men weaned on Nas’ Illmatic-era cadence and the hardrock Brooklyn sensibilities of Boot Camp Clik.

The next installment in Def and La’s discography appears to be a project titled CR96X. The first single from that album is “Culture,” available now for a hundred pennies here. The crew’s Bandcamp space lists a CR96X release date of “January 13, 2011,” which, by this blogger’s estimate, is much too long an interval between albums. Here’s hoping Def and La do like Tribe and push it along.

Click image above to cop the track.

VIDEO: “Two Five Three” (Fice)

206up — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:06:14 +0000

Macklemore did The Six proper with “The Town” and now South Sound rhyme animal Fice attempts to carry his area code’s weight with “Two Five Three.” This clip doesn’t have Zia’s midas touch, but it does the job. Nice look with the I.T. cameo.

(The sample here is easy breezy, but I think D. Black used it better on “This Is Why.”)