Another one from the (current) hardest working music video director in Town, John Harry Baluran, otherwise known as Gfunkology. For Logics and Element this time, “Can’t See ‘Em” is a joint from Logics’ strongest effort so far, Vintage Flow.
VIDEO: “Bad About You” – The Good Sin & 10.4 Rog (dir. by Detooz Films)
Sinseer the rapper got trouble on his mind in his first video from Late, the collaboration with producer 10.4 Rog. Detooz Films’ John Harry Baluran in the cut behind the lens.
DOWNLOAD: Aporia: In These Streets – Made In Heights
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Made In Heights recently released a new 11-track EP, Aporia: In These Streets, on Bandcamp. For those new to the duo, Heights is composed of Blue Scholars’ DJ/producer Sabzi and New York-based vocalist Kelsey Bulkin. They arrived on the internet scene last December with Winter Pigeons, an excellent collection of atmospheric electro-pop that vibed perfectly with a particularly brutal Northeast Winter…
REVIEW: Watch The Throne – Jay-Z & Kanye West
The danger in scribbling down a hasty review of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne, especially for a writer who is quick to react to the bellow of so-called “significant” pop music projects like this album (tentative raised hand), is that said writer might immediately be taken by the triumphal calls of a track like “Lift Off” which, upon first listen, glistens with an orchestral rap radiance befitting such a pair of pop icons, when, in reality, the track is just a jumble of overwrought synth bloat, a wasted Beyonce cameo and lame half-sung half-rapped auto-tuned nonsense. On the other hand, the danger in waiting for the gold and platinum dust to settle before writing about the album is that one could be swayed by the reviews that came before, especially the negative ones accusing Jay and West of recklessly indulging themselves in their fame and excess, thereby further diluting hip-hop’s greater meaning within the mainstream context. So what’s a writer to do? I suppose some comfort can be taken in the old proverb about history ultimately determining the legacy of its people, places and things. It’s impossible to tell now if Pop Music will canonize Watch The Throne, but if there’s one thing this critic has gleaned from listening to the record at least a dozen times in succession, it’s that it’s much more fun to deliberate over the question than it is to actually listen to the music. And that alone should tell you something about this project…
DOWNLOAD: Jermaine EP – Sonny Bonoho
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The Jermaine EP is the latest from Sonny Bonoho (released via www.kevinnottingham.com). Four tracks (plus one skit) of goodness from The Town’s reigning clown prince. Unyielding positivity and a healthy sense of self-deprecating humor have always been Sonny’s strong points. Just check the over-the-top video for “Grand Daaam!” (feat. Bizarre of D12) for a dose.
VIDEO: “Under” – A.Dd+ (feat. Dustin Cavazos)
Dallas outfit A.Dd+ (who are MC’s Paris and Slim) dropped this clip a couple weeks ago. It showed up in my press emails and promptly got ignored (as does much of what shows up in there — time is a ma’f-cka). Thank a day off from work for the rediscovering of this gem, a building meditation on the choices we make and how the universe (or whatever you decide to call it) directs the repercussions. Top-notch video-making.
#OutOfTownMovement
VIDEO: “My Sunshine” – Blu (feat. Nia Andrews)
This current generation of underground Los Angeles rappers makes me very happy, even if some of them were not to be. Blu’s “My Sunshine” is a thick and weighty track made light and buoyant by the MC’s breezy flow and Nia Andrews’ in-the-wind hook.
DOWNLOAD: Quality of Living – Brothers From Another
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Hip-hop is a young man’s game and, as an aging (and concerned) fan of the music, it’s hard for an old geezer like myself to put easy trust in kid rappers who are often more than ten years my junior. I want to hope that my beloved genre will be left in good hands that foster and advance the movement rather than retard and hinder. Much of the sh-t that’s really popping nowadays is more of a portent of things to come rather than a reason to be optimistic.
DOWNLOAD: “Exhibit L” – La (prod. by Jester)
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“Exhibit L” is the final leak off La’s upcoming SEALAB 2012, his full-length collab with producer Jester. La spits autobiographical with razor sharp wit on this track. Based on the two previous drops from LAB, it sounds like the MC has eased his foot up off competing rappers’ necks a bit since last year’s rancorous Roll With The Winners. Dude has a wide array of moods but his flow never seems to suffer when switching between ’em.
VIDEO: “Otherside (Remix)” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (feat. Fences)
Not much to say about this. It’s really beautiful. Everything works. Macklemore is making the best music videos in Town these days. Here’s more proof in case you missed it.
A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG 