The rapper Kublakai — long time friend of the blog and perpetual move-maker in the Six (and beyond) — has found himself rejuvenated with March’s Kubi Zoo, a collection of previously released tracks and a handful of new ones. New energy means new videos and 206UP will happily feature the exclusive premier of his latest clip for “The Bizness” this Tuesday. Stay tuned, fam.
School Daze is the new collaborative project between young Seattle upstart Dave B and the quickly-approaching-venerable-producer-status Justo (of The Physics). Its nine tracks blend breezily together thanks to Just’s boom-bap meets new school soul production and Dave’s effortless observant charm. School Daze is one of the most worthy 206 releases of the year and it’s available for free, dammit. Preview three of the EPs songs below and click Dave’s flashing head above to get it via Dropbox.
Sounding like the ’70s, Avatar Darko tries on a suit of a different color. This flow, this (gasp!) conscious lyric sheet, this throwback production (courtesy of Billy Patron and Apoulo), it all fits Av like a custom Glock holster. “Murda Murda” is off the rapper’s upcoming Soviet Goonion 3.
“Goosebumps” is the latest from Underworld Dust Funk’s Dizzie Slick. It wins the semi-annual Song That Sounds Like a Nacho Picasso Song But Isn’t Actually a Nacho Picasso Song award. If nihilism was something you could smoke we’d all be repudiates.
We’re four days late on the uptake here, but OTOW Gang’s Massiah and Ka.lil dropped this ode to moms (including Salma Hayek and Monica Bellucci) last Sunday, and we thought it deserved a late mention. This is the first single from the duo’s upcoming Kush & Yo Mama Jokes, undoubtedly a deadly combination. Uce Wayne behind the boards.
Sol’s public service announcement. For your penis. Happy Friday!
We here at 206UP do our best to also stay up on the rap happenings in the South Puget Sound. Tacoma’s Second Family have been one of the blog’s favorite crews for a minute from that region. “Everyday” is the first drop from the duo’s upcoming Grit City which is scheduled for a June release.
New sounds from Shabazz Palaces means a necessary re-ordering of your earhole understanding. “They Come In Gold” is the shimmering new sample from SP’s upcoming Lese Majesty (due stateside July 29), a “7 suite, 18 track sonic mythmap of new black wave and ghetto psychedelics”. Easy for you to say, press release. “They Come In Gold” can be both a question and a statement. Adjust your cognizance accordingly.
Lese Majesty tracklist below is courtesy of our friends at Sub Pop, and more info is available here via Pitchfork.
Suite 1: “The Phasing Shift”:
1. “Dawn In Luxor”
2. “Forerunner Foray”
3. “They Come In Gold”
Suite 2: “Touch & Agree”:
4. “Solemn Swears”
5. “Harem Aria”
6. “Noetic Noiromantics”
7. “The Ballad of Lt. Major Winnings”
Suite 3: “Palace War Council Meeting”:
8. “Soundview”
9. “Ishmael”
10. “Down 155th In The MCM Snorkel”
Suite 4: “Pleasure Milieu”:
11. “Divine Of Form”
12. “#Cake”
Suite 5: “Federal Bureau Boys”:
13. “Colluding Oligarchs”
14. “Suspicion Of A Shape”
Suite 6: “High Climb To The Gallows”
15. “Mind Glitch Keytar Theme”
16. “Motion Sickness”
Suite 7: “Murkings On The Oxblood Starway”:
17. “New Black Wave”
18. “Sonic Myth Map For The Trip Back”
Gabriel Teodros met producer AirMe while on a 24-hour layover on his way from Seattle to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — the MC’s mother’s homeland. Their newly released collaboration, Children Of The Dragon, was the product of that serendipitous encounter. You can pre-purchase and preview the album below via Bandcamp and an animated video production of traffic footage on the streets of Addis Ababa.
Better yet, catch GT and Air at an album release party this Wednesday, May 7, at Jaam Rek (aka. the old Hidmo building).
Grynch is ten years, four albums, and a grip of mixtapes deep into a rap career that has seen the proclaimed King of Ballard garner worldwide fans and a copious amount of Seattle rap leverage. Street Lights (released today) is his most recent offering, and it contains more of the same reflective yet self-assured raps as his past work. SL boasts production from a VIP list of 206 board operators (Jake One, MTK, Trox, and Justo among them) and a straight-up awesome cameo from California’s legendary G-funk hook man, Kokane. A full album review is coming soon right here.
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