For those of you who don’t know, Chance the Rapper’s brother is also an artist. His name is Taylor Bennett and he’ll be putting out an album of his own soon. The upcoming release’s title track “Broad Shoulders” features his older brother over a smooth piano beat and heartfelt verses from both brothers. Upon entering fatherhood, Chance’s lyrics have become increasingly introspective as he battles with the realities of having a child. Reviewed by Jake Goldstein.
Taylor Bennett (Soundcloud)
Chicago’s own Joey Purp is poised to drop his new album soon. In anticipation, he streams a new track titled “Run It Up” produced by Dimeji Faluyi. One of the more interestingly produced tracks I’ve heard of late, the beat switches up more than three times while Joey alternates flows and throws some auto-tune singing in there also. Reviewed by Jake Goldstein.
Joey Purp (Soundcloud)
TOKiMONSTA will release her Fovere LP through Hardly Art on January 29. “Put It Down” features the current blog fave Anderson Paak on the vocal with Bay Area producer KRNE chipping in a behind the back assist on the instrumental. “Put It Down” is a really cool blend of styles (mainstream hip hop, trap, more esoteric dance music), sort of a one track microcosm of TOKi’s main stylistic lanes. TOKiMONSTA’s on tour right now and those upcoming live dates are available for your perusal below.
11/25 Detroit, MI – Populux
11/27 Toronto, ON – Mod Club
12/01 Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
12/02 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
12/03 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade
12/04 Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry
12/05 Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
12/08 Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
After enjoying a number of style-setting dance-oriented dynamics-loaded dancehall-heavy bootlegs from Toronto-based producer and Film Noir: Sound founder Krs, we are thrilled to discuss the launch of his long-awaited debut album S.I.W.A.H. (no clue what the name stands for or how to pronounce). The man Krs. sets off his own debut’s momentum like a charm with a potent first single called “Fakin” which is flawlessly produced by Krs. along with his pals SF-bred LA-based vocalist/producer Mars Today and Toronto producer Bnjmn.. New one “Fakin” features an artfully juxtaposed line-up of radiant-sublime odd-match songwriting chemistry and a clever-opposite combo of smash-hit vocals (from Mars Today, Canadian r&b songwriter/vocalist/producer Maurice Moore and Providence-based hip-hop artist Khary). We particularly recommend “Fakin” for its fine-tuned meld of impeccably catchy and hypnotic knockout-seductive (c’est la vie-vibe) catchy-refrain-driven vocals from Mars Today, Maurice Moore’s superbly sexy-sensitive songwriter swoon and Khary’s contrasting on-point quiet calamity of poetic-romantic hip-hop vocals (which have a slightly-gritty love-lamenting perspective that we can appreciate). Great collaboration! Reviewed by Erin Shay.
We’re pleasantly perplexed by the deeply expressive montage of uniquely creative beats, quiet subtle-touch guitar riffs and divinely-inspired picture-perfect seductive-expansive ambient background vocals on new dreamy fave “Lucid”, an outstanding hip-hop-influenced beauty created by Jerusalem-based producer Swum Beats. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
SWUM (Soundcloud)
Get into the classically-excellent wise-cracking catchy-flow Rick Ross magic on new track “Amazing Grace”, the prolific trend bender’s sublimely chill production which has us all wondering when the man is going to do a full album of tunes stylistically just like this (mafioso beats, cold paced flows, etc). Call us Ross, we’ll produce it; you’ve got our number. Awesome track. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Rick Ross (Twitter)
After a two-year drought, the newest president of G.O.O.D Music, Pusha T, releases “Untouchable” off of his upcoming album King Push. Timbaland is on production, nodding in tribute to Notorious B.I.G with the track’s main sample. Pusha T is having a pretty good week; Yeezus himself pronounced him the first president of G.O.O.D Music and T announced Friday the release of his latest Adidas shoe collaboration. Look out for King Push that will hopefully drop in the coming months. Reviewed by Jake Goldstein.
Pusha T (Twitter)
This guy. Freddie Gibbs successfully defends his title as B3SCI’s favorite rapper on “Extradite”. Instrumentally laced with jazz and trip-hop elements, “Extradite” as a beat stands zero chance vs. Gangsta Gibbs (and cool guest Black Thought from The Roots) command of diction and turns of tempo. A very good track.
Freddie Gibbs (Soundcloud)
Hydeout Productions, the folks behind now deceased B3-favorite Japanese hip-hop maverick Nujabes, surprises fans with the release of a new brilliantly lyrical jazzy-horn-laced instrumentals-centered remix of L-Universe’s spin on “Asteroid Love”, Nujabes’ excellent rhyme flowing hip-hop soundscape from back in the day (very good track as well). We’re marveling at the song’s quintessential pure-genius Nujabes smoothness and relaxing sunny-day sentiments. Superb. Reviewed by Erin Shay.
Nujabes (Soundcloud)
Goodbye Tomorrow got my attention when they released their debut album A Journey Through the Mind of a Non Believer a couple of months ago. Goodbye Tomorrow is the definition of the artistic idea that work rather than hype speaks for itself. Virtually everything is unknown about who Goodbye Tomorrow is except for their music, their mission, and where they are from. The song displayed: “2 Many” is a production heavy expression of defiance whose lyricism sets out to deconstruct societal norms. Check them out on their Goodbye Tomorrow Live Beta Test tour coming to Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. Reviewed by Jake Goldstein.
Goodbye Tomorrow (Soundcloud)
