Spaceman lets loose with “She Don’t Care”, a drop from his upcoming Beyond The Stars EP. Sonny Bonoho on the lovelorn chorus and Justo on the beat.
Category: Downloads
NEW(ISH) MUSIC: The Fresh Start – Shelton Harris & Tyler Dopps
Shelton Harris’ 15 minutes have officially begun. He played the lead role in Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ video for “Same Love”; XXL recently named him one of Seattle’s “15 hip hop artists you should know”; and the budding MC landed himself on the bill for the much vaunted Sasquatch festival last month. Not bad for a dude barely out of his teens.
206UP finally took time out to spin through The Fresh Start, a six song EP with producer Tyler Dopps. The release definitely feels like an appetizer for what could be a satisfying main course. The Macklemore influences are apparent which comes with certain drawbacks: Much of TFS suffers from a saccharine sweetness that would wear thin if drawn out over an LP’s length.
But Shelton has a confident, pure flow reminiscent of fellow Town rappers Sol and Grynch. Tyler’s production trends toward the buoyant, pop end of the spectrum and it feels right paired with Shelton’s unassailable positivity. While he isn’t as immediately thrilling as some of Seattle’s other young new guard (Dave B, Raz, Porter Ray, et al), the potential is all there for a breakout star in the making.
NEW MUSIC: Of Love And Lust – Turtle T
He of the Nu Era crew (go here for the accomplished Sink Or Swim from early last calendar), Turtle T goes for dolo on Of Love And Lust.
THE TRACKMEET: 5.31.13
CLICK :: LISTEN :: VOTE
206UP.COM’s The TrackMeet is a regular feature here on the blog that pits three relatively new or up-and-coming local hip-hop artists against each other in a battle-of-the-songs style competition. It’s easy to participate if you’re a reader: Just listen to the three featured tracks and then vote for your favorite in the online poll below. Voting lasts for one week. Each winning entrant will be featured on an upcoming TrackMeet Mixtape (the first edition of which you can download here). If you’re an artist looking to submit for an upcoming competition, click here for submission guidelines.
It’s been a minute since we’ve gassed up a fresh set of newbies. For your voting consideration over the first weekend in June are: T.E.A.M. (Tell Everyone About Me), Swaggy Long Legs, and Soultanz. Get to listening, fam.
LANE 1: “5%” – T.E.A.M.
LANE 2: “Boom Go That Dynamite (Code We Keep)” – Swaggy Long Legs
LANE 3: “Child’s Play” – Soultanz
NEW MUSIC: “Smells Like Lean Spirit” – Nacho Picasso & Avatar Darko (prod. by Clams Casino)
Mmm, Clams and Nachos…
(Vampsterdam coming June 10.)
NEW MUSIC: BLK GLD – Porter Ray
Porter Ray — along with other young Seattle luminaries like Brothers From Another, Raz, Kung Foo Grip, and Zar — represents the next hopeful generation of Town hip hop. This group of artists is singularly unique because, although they are decidedly children of the 21st century, their styles and hustles are rooted in rap’s grand heyday of the ’90s. Call this a carrying on of tradition; we should be overjoyed that the future of Seattle hip hop is in such precocious and capable hands.
Porter’s BLK GLD is just a warm-up, but on it the MC already sounds fully-formed. He is our region’s best answer to Kendrick and Chance: a freewheeling youth whose age is not wasted on a devil-may-care mentality. He’s aspirational without being feckless (“5 Mics”), violent without being nihilistic (“5950’s”), and sexual while not lacking eroticism (“Wet Dreams”). BLK GLD is gilded with Golden Era-style beats and Porter breathes raps. It’s all effortless but shines with conviction and craft. Something incredibly special is being forged here.
NEW MUSIC: “Kill Bill” – Avatar Darko & Nacho Picasso (prod. by MegaMan)
Another drop from Av and Nach‘s upcoming Vampsterdam. MegaMan hops behind the console for this one.
NEW MUSIC: “Come Clean” – Thaddeus David
SOTA pioneer Thaddeus David will be opening for Mobb Deep this evening at The Crocodile. Here are the details on that. TH hopped in the studio for a free verse over Jeru the Damaja’s “Come Clean”.
NEW MUSIC: “Vampire” – Avatar Darko & Nacho Picasso (prod. by AraabMuzik)
Avatar Darko and Nacho Picasso are hopping on the most popular teeny-bopper trend of the new decade: Vampire worship. Of course they’re doing it in their own special and menacing sort of way. Did you expect anything else? Vampsterdam is their upcoming collaborative album, and “Vampire” (produced by AraabMuzik — get well soon, brodie) is the second advance release.
NEW MUSIC: “Ghost” – The Flavr Blue
“Ghost” — as in, “get ghost” and “Casper the Friendly” — is the new track from electro-pop/dance crew The Flavr Blue. This trio is taking off, as evidenced by recent successful live outings in and around Town, and this year’s upcoming edition of Bumbershoot where they’ll be performing. Enjoy your Friday and subsequent weekend, fam. Dance your way into summer.
A SEATTLE HIP-HOP BLOG 