Tacoma’s Rockwell Powers and DJ Phinisey make great music with a humanist spirit. Their Build is important hip-hop from the South Sound; the clip for “Alive” was directed by Peter Berkley of The Art Dept.
Insert coffee to begin.
VIDEO: “Rockstar x Chief’n” – Diffy Boi & Twizzy Boi
From their We Strizzy Boi LP, Young Diffy and Ju-Ju Twist behave like you’d expect very young people to behave. I suppose there’s a time and place for this track but that time for me is not at this moment. Do you, though, fellas.
NEW MUSIC: Life Before – The Good Sin
The Good Sin recently relocated to Harlem, NYC and put in hard work on his new album, Life Before, which dropped yesterday. Click the album cover above to purchase on iTunes and stream it below.
NEW MUSIC: “Forerunner Foray” – Shabazz Palaces
“Forerunner Foray” is the latest from Shabazz Palaces’ Lese Majesty (due July 29 on Sub Pop). It’s a spectral hip-hop jam from the future featuring frequent collaborator Catherine Harris-White of THEESatisfaction. It’s also a description of the antics my bro and I used to get into in the earlier part of this century in my ’94 forest green Toyota. We don’t need four-wheel drive where we’re going, bruh.
(h/t Gorilla vs. Bear)
VIDEO: “For The Love” – Harry Clean (feat. Dave B, JusMoni & YK Ari)
Harry Clean (of venerated Town rap video production house Detooz Films) presents his first short film/music video in which he appears as the primary star and performer. Harry pulls out all the stops for this one, including a trippy dream sequence (or is it a blunted reality?), images of him and the crew posted in the parking lot, and a grip of dope cameos from members of the Seattle hip-hop community.
For more on Harry and his hustle, check out the Q&A we did with him earlier in the year.
NEW MUSIC: Thraxxhouse Mixtape – Mackned & Key Nyata
My internet buddy Andrew Martin (former editor of Potholes In My Blog), recently shined some light on this latest go ’round by Seattle underground fire-starters Mackned and Key Nyata. And by “fire” I mean “slow burn” and by “go ’round” I mean “haunted crawl through the SEA’s darkest rap corners.” Get it below.
NEW MUSIC: Smoke Filled Rooms – Graves 33
Accomplished underground MC and producer Graves 33 dropped this collection of instrumentals yesterday. Smoke Filled Rooms is available to purchase for $10 on the artist’s Bandcamp page, and it comes with a unique offer: upon purchase, Graves is allowing all creative types non-exclusive rights to use the beats in basically any fashion they wish, so long as explicit credit is given to Graves. More information on Smoke Filled Rooms, here.
VIDEO: “Bow Down” – Raz Simone (dir. by Joe Garber)
NEW MUSIC: “Funk Break” – Theoretics (feat. Moe Betta)
Theoretics are a five piece hip-hop/electronica band who specialize in live instrumentation. Their “One A Month” series of single releases kicks off with “Funk Break” featuring Moe Betta. Stream it below and download it if you’re so moved.
A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG 