Party rap fire starters Gran Rapids are preparing to release Midnight Society, the follow-up to the duo’s 2012 self-titled LP. “Holler” finds Jay Battle and Leach urging friends and strangers alike to turn up on the Seattle streets. We can dig it.
Insert coffee to begin.
NEW MUSIC: “#CAKE” – Shabazz Palaces
New ish from Ish and his transcendent Shabazz Palaces project. Lese Majesty arrives July 19 via Sub Pop Records.
NEW MUSIC: “Adventure Time” – Nacho Picasso (prod. by Raised byy Wolves)
Nacho Picasso, again playing the anti-hero with frequent collaborator Raised byy Wolves, is looking for some “Adventure Time” this weekend. Run for the hills. And hide your hoes*.
NEW MUSIC: “Bogu$” – Jarv Dee & Kris Kasanova (feat. Justin Rose & THC Billy Badda$$)
Moor Gang teammate Jarv Dee touches the East Coast with Brooklyn’s Kris Kasanova and THC Billy Badda$$, and NYC’s Justin Rose. “Bogu$” should be played at high volume, preferably in a residential neighborhood.
VIDEO: “Attention” – Araless (dir. by Dyllyn Greenwood)
Break, bars, sample: a simple recipe that always works. It helps that Araless is nice on the mic, treading a lane somewhere between Brother Ali and the SEA’s own RA Scion. His “Attention” (produced by Goldenbeets) has an accompanying video now courtesy of Dyllyn Greenwood. You can download the track here. Watch for Symbiosis coming soon.
NEW MUSIC: “Home Of The Mighty” – Spekulation (feat. Perry Porter & Paolo Escobar)
Spekulation knows a lot about proper placement, whether it’s the interpolation of live instrumentation in his songs — like the 20-piece horn section in his latest Pac NW tribute anthem “Home Of The Mighty” (featuring MC Perry Porter and vocalist Paolo Escobar) — or the year long effort he recently put in with frequent collaborator Nate Omdal scoring the short film Enemy Within (which just received a nice look from the New York Times). Read more about Spek and his work and creative process, here.
VIDEO: “So Far, So Far” – Raz Simone (dir. by Raz & Jon Holman)
VIDEO: “New Wa$hington Order (N.WA.O.)” – Cake & $alad
Cake and $alad are Honor Roll champions (same family as the beloved Kung Foo Grip, if you’re drawing Seattle rap family trees). Their FRVR UNDRGRND is worth a few spins. “New Wa$hington Order” is from that collection and it cares way more about being dope than you.
VIDEO: “After Hours” – Donte Peace (dir. by Brian Tolliver)
Gratuitous and blood splattered, Donte Peace’s newest video, “After Hours”, channels the rapper’s dark side. It’s not for everybody and it’s certainly NSFW. Adot The God produced it and Brian Tolliver probably spilled fake blood all over his camera directing it.
VIDEO: “Final Goodbye” – Fearce Vill (dir. by Jonathan Parrot)
Yuk Mob’s Fearce Vill with a passing tribute to the folks he’s lost to the other side. Bean One hooked the beat up, and Jonathan Parrot got behind the lens.
A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG 