I’m not a huge fan of Eighty4 Fly’s music. His flow is second hand Drake and his radio-targeted steez is too passe to be fully enjoyable. Still, I appreciate dude’s hustle and his videos are always on point (thanks in large part to Jon Augustavo, the talented man behind the lens). The night shots look great in the “Confession” part of the clip and Eighty’s humble grind depicted in the “Destiny” half is endearing. (Apple Jacks for dinner? Yeah, I’ve been there before.) Everybody got their hustle and it’s hard to knock Eighty’s.
Category: Video
VIDEO: “Greetings” (feat. Scribes) – Mike Folden
Seattle multimedia artist Mike Folden recently did a nice video profile on Scribes. I’ve never met dude, but he comes across as a thoughtful, intensely focused artist. Peep that above and download his latest full-length, What Was Lost, for free here. Scribes gets a great live look on June 10 when he opens for Pharoahe Monch at The Crocodile.
VIDEO: “Slick Watts” – Blue Scholars
Blue Scholars just premiered the short film/music video for the track “Slick Watts,” the first clip from the group’s third full-length album, Cinemetropolis (dropping everywhere on June 14). Enjoy the visuals courtesy Geo, Sabzi, the Sonicsgate team, and a very special and not-so-conspicuous guest (hint: the song is named after him, dummy).
VIDEO: “What You Need” – The Weeknd
Back from the 416 and in a Toronto state of mind…
The Weeknd’s hazy, diffuse, electro-R&B sounds like The-Dream on mescaline. The trio’s erotic, thugged-out, borderline sociopathic lyrics are a combination of R. Kelly’s perverted machismo and Odd Future’s depraved sex fantasies. Still interested? If so, click here to download the group’s free EP, House of Balloons.
VIDEO: Maureen Interviews Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces
Here’s something different: the mysterious yet very everyday “budding journalist extraordinaire,” Maureen, sat down with Ishmael Butler (otherwise known as Palaceer Lazaro of Shabazz Palaces — introduction extraneous if you’re a regular reader of this website). The clip above is a very brief preview.
Having a non-hop-hop head interview a very accomplished hip-hop artist, especially someone as ethereally-oriented as Butler, is something like asking a child to interview a physicist about how a nuclear fusion reactor is constructed. Non-sequiturs, possibly of the beautiful and unexpectedly insightful, may ensue. Make sure to watch for the interview in its entirety in the coming weeks.
On the album tip, SP’s Sub Pop debut, Black Up, is set for a June 28 release. But if you place an advance order on the LP before May 31, the label provides you with instant streaming access to the album and a free patch designed by the artist. Click here to take advantage of that offer.
VIDEO: “The Beauty Within” – Dead Prez
Shout-out to Wordlush over at Last Night’s Mixtape (one of the absolute best SEA-based music blogs running things, ya heard?) for posting this up. Dead Prez crash the plane that that corny rapper B.o.B. is in and stab Bruno Mars in his got-damn…well…you know the rest.
(On the top of my rap video wishlist: a clip that denounces the fetishistic inclinations America has toward Asian women. Go forth conscious Asian rappers and make the statement!)
DOWNLOAD: ELmatic – Elzhi (w/Will Sessions)
Click album cover for D/L link.
Let this be said: ELmatic, Elzhi’s re-interpretation of Nas’ classic Illmatic, is good. In fact, it’s excellent (covers head for fear of the Rap Gods’ wrath). In hip-hop, the line between imitation as the sincerest form of flattery and straight-up biting is a hazy one. Is ELmatic an example of Elzhi’s hubris run amok, or a true honorific attempt at adulation? Whatever it is, we shouldn’t let the young ‘uns decide. The only worry hip-hop should have over this remake is that kids under the age of 18 will think it’s all original. Parents, educate your children.
Click here to read more of my ELmatic thoughts on SSG Music.
DOWNLOAD: “Rainy Days” – Yirim Seck
From his soon-to-drop The Good Eats Mixtape, area MC Yirim Seck goes in for the ladies over a lively beat. It’s been too long since we’ve heard from the rapper who (this blog has always contended) is one of the most naturally gifted MC’s in Seattle. More to come soon re: Good Eats. Keep it tuned to 206UP.COM.
“Rainy Days” – Yirim Seck (Click here to download the track.)
#LatePass. Below is a documentary short by Ijo Arts Media Group profiling the MC. This dropped Fall of 2010 but I just got hip to it recently.
VIDEO: “Blast It” – Shabazz Palaces (“Tough Bond” Film Score)
Shabazz Palaces provided the score for the film Tough Bond (by Village Beat pictures), a documentary about Kenyan youth who sniff glue to survive street life.
(Caught this over at Last Night’s Mixtape.)
VIDEO: “Bloody Poetry” – Grieves & Budo
It’s fresh to see two cats with strong ties to Seattle blow up something major the way Grieves and Budo are doing. Inking a deal with the best known independent hip-hop label in the country (Rhymesayers) will do that for you. The duo’s next full-length offering is titled Together/Apart and will hit the paved and dirt roads of all this land’s hamlets on June 21.
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