OC Notes let fly this massive collection (over 100!) of Rap Loops yesterday for your ears’ enjoyment. Practice your bar structure before that open mic night.
Category: Audio
NEW MUSIC: “Glass” – Mack E (prod. by Trae Beats)
Oft under-appreciated Mack E with a new track, “Glass”, produced by Trae Beats. Possessor of lyrical miracles out of the L.A.C.O.S.A. camp, this one’s turned down and introspective.
NEW MUSIC: “Celebration” – Malice & Mario Sweet
Malice and Mario Sweet dropped their new single “Celebration” on New Year’s Eve. I was too busy standing in line in the freezing outdoors for the opportunity to buy watered down drinks for $15 each. NYE in NYC is so glamorous.
Anyway… “Celebration” found its release on the most celebrated — okay, arguable — day of the year in America, but it also commemorated M&M’s five-year wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them! As someone who will be taking the plunge into nuptials (that sounds weird) this May, mad respect to Seattle’s favorite real-life R&B couple for reaching the half decade benchmark.
NEW MUSIC: “On!” – Fresh Espresso
In advance of their show with Fly Moon Royalty tonight at Neumos, Fresh Espresso dropped this new track. “On!” swirls around like an electronic dust storm. It’ll sound great live, go see.
NEW MUSIC: Trances With Wolves: The Prixtape – Nacho Picasso
Well now that 206UP’s Best Seattle Hip Hop Albums of 2013 have made the rounds, we can get back to the regularly scheduled programming. If you missed my holier-than-thou lists and write-ups, scroll down for that shit or click here.
Hello, 2014. Nice to make your acquaintance. Here’s to another slew of quality Seattle rap over the next 363 days, beginning with Nacho Picasso’s new tape Trances With Wolves. I don’t know what this sounds like yet, but I’m hoping it features some Kevin Costner ad-libs ripped straight from the eponymous (not quite) movie. NP staying active even in the newborn belly of vingt-14.
NEW MUSIC: The Woods – Sabzi
Sabzi dropped this “albumixtape” in the inbox this morning as a little gift to the fans. Thanks, Saba! Seems like The Woods is a preview of what’s to come in 2014 from Made In Heights, his side project with vocalist Kelsey Bulkin — an unexpected and welcome surprise! Happy Holidays and stay warm, family.
NEW MUSIC: The Methadone Musical – Nottus Tre
Nottus Tre is all rugged nonchalance. “Street rap” (quotations mine) from the west side of the West Seattle Bridge. This young rapper won’t win any awards for cordiality but his Methadone Musical surely isn’t about that. Rather it’s “the life” that gets attended to: his paper, his people, his girl (er, make that your girl), and fuck boys are of primary concern. Alki Beach is surely picturesque but who said it was always pretty? Smoke DZA, Fatal Lucciauno and Glasses Malone lend like-minded perspective on TMM.
NEW(ISH) MUSIC: Porcelain – Triceracorn
In my eleventh hour push to cram for 206UP’s annual best-of list (dropping next week!), I realize there’s a grip of worthy music that I missed out on the first time it came around.
Triceracorn is one such example. Producer IG88 and rapper Beige (best MC name ever?) compose the duo responsible for October’s Porcelain, a 12 track collection of ambient hip hop, rich with brave sonic ideas and existential angst. Beige explores a host of topics from love to substance abuse, all tackled from oblique angles and through metaphorical oddities. The LP also features a couple of nice guest shots from Sandpeople’s boom-bap philosopher IAME and Hellfyre Club’s resident wordplay professor Open Mike Eagle. Porcelain makes for perfect headphone music on a cloud-covered day.
NEW MUSIC: Euphoric Tape II – Blue Sky Black Death
Moody, atmospheric, gothic, trap-laden, and other adjectives apply to production duo Blue Sky Black Death’s newest drop, Euphoric Tape II, featuring a deep guest cast of Town artists and a smattering of national rap players.
NEW(ISH) MUSIC: Love Child – MADlines & Bean One
Finally got a chance to listen to Love Child, the MADlines x BeanOne collab. Hip hop meets reggae stylings to bombastic and highly danceable effect. I don’t recall Mad ever sounding this confident or dexterous on the mic, even in the golden years of Canary Sing, the other half of whom lends guest vocals on “I-R-I-E”. Love Child will warm up your winter.
A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG 