Shout out to 2025 for giving us one of the best years in hip hop I can remember. There are some years where you’re like, “man… what is good that’s new?” But this year? Whoa… The summer alone was crazy… but it’s not stopping either… i’m hype so i want yall hype! Here are some new hip hop tracks I’ve been listening to and adding to my Spotify Playlists recently.
Read moreRIP D'Angelo
I don’t remember where I first heard D’Angelo but I do remember my earliest memories with D’Angelo. So his passing makes me look back… it makes me dig deep in my memory catalog to match up the sounds and the vibe with where I was at the time and what I was feeling. But then it also fast forwards to where I am now which makes me trip out to see how young D’Angelo is… how old D’Angelo was. Man… We just lost a first ballot hall of fame talent from the 90s fam…. this is devastating.
Read moreSlept On Rap Bangers from 1995.
Let’s go back 30 years to 1995. Or just go back to the Mid90s as a whole. Rap was major. It was all over your TV, magazines, radio, etc…. it was everywhere… Bone Thugs were out here reppin Cleveland and Do or Die were Po Pimpin all over Chicago…
Read moreThe B.U.M.S. - Elevation (Free My Mind)
There is no better feeling than hearing a new song from 30 years ago you had never heard before. This happened to me recently when I let the Spotify algo do its thing and bring me tracks that fit my sound profile. And here came a track I had never heard…. Within 30 seconds I looked down at my phone, took a screenshot, liked the track, and then pressed rewind. I had to run the track back because HOW DID I NEVER HEAR THIS SONG BEFORE???? Damn…. Here is The B.U.M.S. with “Elevation (Free My Mind)” off of their 1995 album, Lyfe ‘N’ Tyme.
Read moreVel Nine x NugLife "NINA"
Yall up on Vel Nine? If you’ve been sleeping, it’s all good fam… I got you. Vel Nine is an artist from Baldwin Park, CA and she has been putting in work in the underground rap scene for a long time and now and she deserves your attention. She reminds me of when Jean Grae aka What What was popping in the 2000s and you ignored the fact that she was a female emcee and you just stood back and said, wow… this is a dope emcee at the core.
Read moreEd O.G & Da Bulldogs "Be a Father to your Child"
As I write this, it’s the morning of Father’s Day. My 4 year son is asleep on the couch where we had a slumber party last night and my wife is asleep. These early mornings are when I have time to spend with my music while I’m alone for a bit. And on this morning, there’s one track I am playing on repeat. It’s a track from Ed O.G & Da Bulldogs called “Be a Father to your Child” and it’s a song I play every Father’s Day.
Read moreBone Thugs-N-Harmony "Crossroad"
But to the real heads out there…. the real Bone Thugs fans out there… you know what’s up… you know the fact that 99% of the world doesn’t know… I feel like the 1% of us over here are peas in a pod knowing this about Bone… we know the secret and want to tell more people but who of our friends is really going to care some 30 years later? So we just go back to our cassettes, CD’s and vinyl and even our YouTube accounts with this secret knowledge… The secret… Hmmm… Well… what if I tell you that “Tha Crossroads” you know and love wasn’t even on E. 1999 Eternal.
Read moreThe Clipse "Ace Trumpets"
I woke up to a nice surprise yesterday when I saw the Clipse had dropped their first single for their new project. “Ace Trumpets” is now out on the DSP’s and it’s on their new album dropping on July 11th, Let God Sort Em Out. The track is produced by Pharrell and the whole album was recorded at the Louis Vuitton HQ in Paris… How baller is that though? Pusha T and No Malice are back with Pharrell on the boards? Definitely something to look forward to.
Read moreDevin the Dude - The Dude - Rap-A-Lot Records - 1998
On that day, I flipped through those CD racks and made it to the D’s when the album artwork of a new CD caught my attention… I didn’t really know the artist but he was sitting on the toilet reading a newspaper with a joint in his mouth… His name was Devin the Dude and the album was, The Dude. Rap-A-Lot Records… 1998… Let’s take you back…
Read moreSpice 1 - The Bay’s Uncrowned King of 90s West Coast Gangsta Rap
When you think of 90s West Coast rap, the usual names come to mind… Dre, Snoop, Cube, Pac, Eazy, Too $hort, Quik, Warren G, and E-40. That’s the Mt. Rushmore most people see. But for true 90s gangsta rap heads, the roster runs way deeper… DPG, MC Eiht, Cypress Hill, Mac Dre, Suga Free, Brotha Lynch Hung, C-Bo, Above the Law, and more. Among them, one rapper deserves a place with the legends, Spice 1. With one of the strongest album runs of the decade, a raw, original flow, and feature verses that often stole the show, Spice 1 earned respect nationwide…not just in Cali. He’s one of my all-time favorites, and it’s time he gets his full credit.
Read moreThe Source Magazine Presents Unsigned Hype
In May 1990, The Source magazine launched its "Unsigned Hype" column to spotlight hip hop artists that were not signed to major labels, giving underground rappers a platform to showcase their skills before securing record deals. Created during a time when independent rappers struggled for clout, the column became a proving ground for aspiring artists. Many future rap legends, including The Notorious B.I.G., DMX, Mobb Deep, Common, and Eminem, got their first national exposure through Unsigned Hype… Here I wanted to look back at the most notable underground rappers featured from the 90’s along with their demo tapes that showed off their talents before they dropped their debut albums and got noticed by the rap world.
Read moreCurren$y - "Life Under the Scope"
15 years ago, Curren$y dropped his new mixtape Smokee Robinson the morning of the Super Bowl. His hometown squad the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl that day with Drew Brees taking down Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Every Super Bowl Sunday I listen to this mixtape… Crazy that it dropped 15 years ago… This was the mixtape that gave us the classic track “Life Under the Scope” and it’s worth your time today… Especially with the Super Bowl being held in New Orleans this year.
Read more3X KRAZY "KEEP IT ON THE REAL"
What is the best 90’s rap song that you most likely slept on??? don’t worry, I got you… it came from Oakland, CA in 1997 and the track was called “keep it on the real”. here we got 3X Krazy with an absolute smash of a track…
Read moreThe Alchemist, ScHoolboy Q, and Freddie Gibbs "Ferraris in the Rain Part 2"
freddie gibbs is out here rolling one of the best rap campaigns of all time right when halloween is hitting… and the election… wow… gangsta gibbs and freddie krueger out here on billboards with a phone line with some crazy promo… yall sleeping on gibbs? i really hope not… it’s officially gangsta gibbs season.
Read moreSouth Central Cartel "U GOTTA DEAL WIT DIS"
"U Gotta Deal Wit Dis" might be the best song of all time. It defies genres... Is it rap? Is it a love song? Is it a 80's freestyle classic out of Cali? The beat is such a smash... The drums... perfection... The raps? The rappppppppppppppppssssss??? The artwork on the cassingle? Do me a favor... stop what you're doing and go listen to this gem from South Central Cartel aka S.C.C. This is a little article about how dope South Central Cartel were and are.
Read moreThe Show Soundtrack from '95
I'll never forget buying The Show soundtrack on CD. That tracklisting was the wildest tracklist I had ever seen. There were like 30 of the dopest rappers and rapper groups of all time. It was the most no brainer CD purchase of my entire life... "Everyday Thang" from Bone might be their best song and most of yall don't even know it. That to me is beautiful. If you don't know the track "Everyday Thang", please stop everything you're doing and go to YouTube... NOT Spotify or Apple... YOUTUBE....
Read moreSaafir "Light Sleeper"
I'll never forget watching Menace II Society over and over as a kid. My parents would be asleep or working and I would just be crushing Menace and learning my lines, cadences, walks, talks, all of it. There was Harold from Menace who had the craziest swag when he was on camera... he taught me how to mean mug and how to just be a total g and not care about shit... Harold aka Saafir... you hip?
Read morePale Jay "Shameful Game"
pale jay is your new favorite artist.
Read moreFashawn x ProducerTrentTaylor "Tick Tock" (Featuring ICECOLDBISHOP)
this is a story about west coast underground hip hop. it entails an amazing journey and a happy ending (pause) for all involved... the rose that grew from concrete here is the new track called "tick tock"... it features producertrenttaylor on the beat and fashawn and icecoldbishop on the rhymes... crispy akiyama on the engineering... this song is crazy... tap in and then press rewind...
Read moreChris Crack "Tiny Jean Pocket Is For Your Spotify Money"
rappers today have a major challenge ahead of them... the attention span of listeners is shorter than ever so you need to go above and beyond to get seen... to get heard... to get remembered... chris crack out of chicago checks all of these boxes and i think he is one of the dopest out right now... if not up on mr. crack, here you go fam....
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