— Leave a Comment

DOWNLOAD: The Revelation EP – J. Bre

Click album cover to D/L.

The Revelation EP is J. Bre’s follow-up to 2010’s Street Signs. J’s straight-forward no-nonsense approach to rhyming was the best part of Signs, but also the MC’s greatest handicap when it came to finding relevance inside a genre populated by novelty lyricists and throwaway punchline flows. On Revelation the rapper finds comfortable middle ground, diversifying his cadence but not losing the authentic steez that separates him from the fakes. Notable guest appearances here include Carl Roe, Grynch, Luck-One, and Justis. Available for the price of three clicks above and below.

Downloads Listen
— Leave a Comment

DOWNLOAD: “So Flagrant” – Hi Life Soundsystem

Click track artwork to D/L.

Hi Life Soundsystem’s tribute to SoCal rap circa 1995. Sticky bass that bounces combined with Hi Life’s New Wave dance aesthetic makes for a track something different than what we’re accustomed to. The good folks at Members Only assure 206UP.COM that Langston Hugh Hefner…Love, Weed & Other Vices, the next project from B-Flat, Khingz and Crispy, will be worth waiting for.

Downloads Listen
— Leave a Comment

DOWNLOADS: “Baby” – SK (feat. John Crown) & “Fair Warning” – Fatal Lucciauno

Click track artwork to D/L.

Click track artwork to D/L.

“Fair Warning” – Fatal Lucciauno (prod. by Kuddie Fresh)

Downloads Listen
— Leave a Comment

VIDEOS: “Therapy/Wylout” & “Rap Rap Video” – Th3rdz

Visuals for “Therapy” above. Track previously available at this location.

A burst of fast rap from one third of…well, you know who it is.

This That & Th3rd coming soon(ish).

Downloads Video
— Leave a Comment

DOWNLOAD: “Wildfire (Drumma Boy Remix)” – SBTRKT (feat. Little Dragon & Shabazz Palaces)

Click image to D/L.

Admittedly I don’t know much about SBTRKT. You would think because I spotted this downloadable remix of their song “Wildfire” over at Pitchfork today that I would — they are favored by Williamsburg kids and their ill-fitting grandpa slacks, after all. Anyway, it’s notable (for me) because of the Shabazz Palaces feature. Not sure how Palaceer Lazaro’s inimitable flow wound up on this mostly mediocre mood piece (along with Little Dragon), but whatever. Anything SP is worth noting these days.

Click here to download the track.

Downloads
— 1 Comment

DOWNLOAD: The Iron Curtain – Avatar Young Blaze

Click album cover to D/L.

There was a time when I dreaded the seemingly endless task of wading through an entire Avatar Young Blaze mixtape. Now I honestly relish the sh-t. Haven’t heard The Iron Curtain yet but I’m counting on it to bludgeon my ears into a hazy state of submission. This cat won me over with his hustle, sneaky technical precision and commitment to his particular brand of vodka (and by “vodka” I mean “gangsta”). (Via the good folks at Tha Northwest.)

Downloads
— 2 Comments

VIDEO: “Sweaters” – Nacho Picasso (prod. by Blue Sky Black Death)

Nacho Picasso might be Seattle rap’s Next Big Thing. And that definitely wouldn’t be all bad. This video was spotted over at SSG Music (#ConflictOfInterestAlert). All the insight needed (along with an exclusive leak) on Nacho is in SSG’s authoritative preamble to the MC’s next movement, For The Glory, featuring production work by electro savants Blue Sky Black Death. “Sweaters” sounds like trap music recorded underwater in slow motion, and it’s all about tattoos. Not that my opinion counts for anything, but Seattle needs hip-hop like this to pull itself out of a self-induced backpacker funk (and this is coming from someone who counts that style of rap as his preferred sh-t). Voices like Nacho’s are criminally under-represented in this Town. Time to stop the marginalizing.

Downloads SSG Music Cross-Post Video
— 1 Comment

DOWNLOAD: “Poor Stories” – Luke Rain

Click image for D/L link.

Luke Rain is nothing if not persistent. His freely downloadable P.O.O.R. Thursday joints show up in the Inbox on the regular with nary a whisper from this blog. Well the drought’s over, homie. Here’s the latest in the series: “Poor Stories.” Stay on your grind, Agua.

Downloads
— Leave a Comment

DOWNLOAD: “BFA Say” – Brothers From Another (prod. by Sabzi)

Click track artwork for D/L link.

Brothers From Another are really bubbling right now. On their last project, Two Weeks Vacation, they held it down admirably with Town maestro Vitamin D (who, I think I read somewhere, is related to Goonstar) on “Midnight Special,” one of the best SEA tracks from 2010 (and heard on 206UP.COM’s Town Movement Mixtape available for the price of three clicks, here — tell a friend). On “BFA Say” they get an assist from another 206 stalwart, Sabzi. BFA’s next project, Quality of Living, drops on September 1.

206UP.COM Mixtapes Downloads
— Leave a Comment

DOWNLOAD: #Aklife – Akrish

Click album cover to D/L at Bandcamp.

Bellevue’s Michael Akrish (real name, no gimmicks) dropped this brief hat trick yesterday with assists from MTK and DJ Nphared. Promising area rap from the east side of the Lake.

Downloads