Here’s the first in what might be a regular series of links to some of the most recent rap tracks I’m enjoying.
A lot of these are too new to feature on a released album and so don’t exist on Spotify etc, so there’s no tidy playlist of them all in one place. Put an hour aside and get browser tab and click happy like the old days. Who knows where you’ll end up?
We begin with a Run The Jewels feature on DJ Shadow’s new album, which is pretty solid but far from jaw-dropping. El-P and Killer Mike work together as wonderfully as ever, particularly on the catchy hook.
For years, both units in Run The Jewels operated on the underground with about half a percent of the fan base and exposure they’re now rightfully enjoying. Hopefully there’ll be a similar return on investment of effort for Fashawn in years to come too. He’s quietly been putting out really consistent, strong music for a while now. This new number is particularly topical and will have you reminiscing of yester-year when rap carried more messages, more often – Man, I’m old.
Fawshawn happens to be on Mass Appeal Records, the label of the quality magazine/blog of the same title that Nas invested in a while back. Nas fanatics will know this, and that Escobar season may or may not be about to return. Besides writing all the raps for Baz Luhrmann’s exciting new Get Down series, he’s on the score of a move called The Land he produced, with Erykah Badu. Amongst her moving vocals, God’s Son drops a mature thoughtful verse with an interesting rhyme pattern that shows he’s still got it. Take a listen.
Those Nas freaks will have noticed that he’ll be on a track called ‘Nas Album Done’ on the forthcoming DJ Khalid (Big on Snapchat, I’m told) compilation, beside this great Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar collaboration. No surprises as to who absolutely steals the show in an effortless demonstration he’s light years ahead of all his peers.
Next up is Danny Brown, a guy I’ve heard lots of great stuff from in the past, though I’m still yet to really get stuck into his full albums. This new track’s from what he’s hyping as his definitive ‘career album’ out this year. His pace and energy makes me want to sprint around the block or drink all of the beer in my fridge immediately.
From California, New York and Detroit to Tower Hamlets, London now, where former Roll Deep MC Trim has released what I think you can call his debut album. I say think because it’s ‘Presented by’ James Blake and sort of a compilation of tracks by a ton of different producers, some of which we’ve heard before, so mixtape might be a better label, and this would make it his 14th, not counting four EPs. The beats on this are awesome, his lyrics and flows hold your attention and his deep voice is real distinct. If only everyone could get a refund for the attention they wasted on Skepta’s album and refocus it here.
I end by breaking the rules and sharing a brilliant story about a discovery of the world’s ‘first’ grime instrumental, from a 1994 video game.
PS. Someone give Joe Budden a hug and tell him to stop with the Drake stuff.