Jus' makin sum kool beats here
Oh hi! It is the month of June, so what better time than now to aware yourself of some tight rap releases that have come out this year. I should probably preface this by saying that I have strong regional biases when it comes to rap music (via growing up in Northern California and East Coast rap not being good since ’05), so sorry if ASAP Rocky is not on here, or whoever the fuck that one rapper is at the moment that people who don’t like rap music listen to:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Foosol2kM]
Joe Blow- Real Recognize Real
Joe Blow is an Oakland rapper who came out with an extremely impressive debut album last year titled You Should Be Paying Me, that was filled with dope introspective gangster rap songs such as this one. As great as his debut was, his new album is a big step up, with a lot more diverse production (the song above is produced by Young L) and songs that display Joe Blow working outside of his comfort zone of melancholy gangster rap. The beats go hard, the features are great, and there is nothing bad I have to say about this album. It represents everything that is good and lovely about Bay Area rap in 2012.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGF5ec_sI80]
Lil Stu & Lil Levi- Real Recognize Real
Two albums titled Real Recognize Real? Is this a fucking joke?!? Nope. Rappers are definitely not ones to shy away from cliches within their genre, but neither are most artists of other types of music we all love and adore (e.g. all hardcore and metal). While the album title is nothing original, Lil Stu and Lil Levi from Kansas City deliver an album that sets itself apart with a tangible morose atmosphere. The album is chalk full of melancholy raps reflecting on how shitty their lives have been/are and all the regrets they have accumulated in their lifetime, backed up by a laid back, lo-fi production that sounds really warm and comfortable. Great album to kick back to and ponder how sometimes, life is rly hard. I guess Lil Levi just died this past April, which is really sad to hear. I have no idea what happened to him and cannot find shit about it on the internet, but RIP Lil Levi for sure.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTFnVmza9gU]
E-40- Block Brochure: Welcome to The Soil Vol. 1,2 & 3
E-40′s new triple album is way too long and its intimidating length definitely made it difficult for people to easily digest and appreciate. E-40 has been rapping for over two decades now and having switched up his style many times over the years, he is many things to many different people. This mega release sounds like he is trying to please all those different fans with a sampling of every type of rap music he has made in the past 20 years. For first time listeners it might sound kind of messy, but if you grew up listening to E-40, such as myself, then it sounds like a wonderful stroll down memory lane. Props to E-40 for continuing to make rap songs about shooting someone’s face off well into his 40s.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhbQiuvXHQI]
Laroo & Turf Talk- Sick-Wid-It: Block Ops
Hey speaking of E-40, his label, Sick Wid It Records, put out another album this year by 40′s cousin Turf Talk and Laroo that is pretty damn great. The album is definitely the catchiest rap album I’ve heard all year and is chalk full of hooks that will work themselves into the deep crevices of your brain. Along with entertaining beats and memorable hooks, what makes this album stand out is how well Turf Talk and Laroo play off each other with their rhymes. Turf Talk is the Zany Bro of the two, with a rap flow that can get pretty ridiculous at times and Laroo balances him out with more straightforward raps. On top of all that the album is under 50 minutes long, so it never wears out its welcome in your ears.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imQE0LRMXYk]
Feva- Pay Da Fee
Feva is a rapper from Kansas City who came out of nowhere this year with this enormous debut double album that features guest appearances from just about every prominent rapper from the Bay Area and Kansas City (it’s kind of a long story, but the Kansas City and Bay Area rap scenes have been closely connected since the early 90′s). Some guy I met who knows Feva said that he started working on this album like seven years ago, but had to go to jail for a couple years and was finally able to finish it up recently. I don’t think Feva will ever admit that though, because rap is like the antithesis of death metal; you want it to seem like you put as little effort as possible into making music as a rapper so you can drown in pussy with your nonchalance, while metal bands spend six years composing complicated riff salads that only IMN will ever appreciate. Advantage: Rap Music. I wrote about this album more extensively on my blog if you are interested in hearing/reading more.
So those are the best rap albums of 2012 so far that you are probably not too familiar with; hopefully you like what you hear and they will have you dancing like this:
“so sorry if ASAP Rocky is not on here, or whoever the fuck that one rapper is at the moment that people who don’t like rap music listen to”
stop listening to what I don’t like!
Rappers people who don’t like rap listen to >>>>>>>>>>>> real hip-hop
+1, Backed, This, ect.
+2
That said, I’m excited for the new Aesop Rock album. : (
La Coka Nostra huge in dat commune!
Slaine. Ill Bill. Vinnie Paz(boxcutta Pazzi!!) New single & video goes hard, check ‘Cheesesteaks’ to amaze at haircuts and TUI/TERROR merch..
Strange Music.
Tech Nine(lolmainstreamnao). Kutt Calhoun, Redheadedstepchild keeps me on his dix. I love about 10% of what Krizz Kaliko is doing(Choir Boy <3). Big Scoob has a few jamz via being OG and Stevie Stone has ONE song, his album failed hard.
My text handling might suggest I think Vinnie Paz a member of LCN. I sorry :(
cool stuff dat feva is amaze
1) I’m posting without having listened to the albums I didn’t know
2)My knowledge of da bay is super limited since I am from Indiana, lol.
Felt on E-40 for sure. I’ve always thought his lyrics/topics were really odd/bad, but his beats and flow are fucking perfect almost every time. Only rapper who can put out three hours worth of music in a year after he put out two hours worth and every track be at worst average. Definition grinding.
Now, allow me to insert my excessively strong opinion about how you didn’t put MY favorite albums. NO NEW CURREN$Y? NO NEW FLOCKA? NO NEW KILLER MIKE?
Casey Veggies Customized Greatly 3 was also sick as fuuuuuuuuuuuu but it’s a mixtape, I think, so I don’t think it counts. Got a bunch of bangers and a bunch of smooth shit that doesn’t sound bitch made. Very well done.
More on that new Waka Flocka shortly!
Yes please.
dafuq, no El-P? C4C is a contender for my top albums of ’12 so far
See: rappers for people who don’t listen to rap.
Not a put down cuz he’s one of my favorites too, but lets be for real. I was at the c4c record release show and was blinded by a sea of nerdy white hipsters and “real hip hop” geeks. When muthfuckin exquire shouted “where Brooklyn at?!”, I don’t think he was talkin bout Williamsburg.
Feva album is fucking tremendous, props brah.
Dont know much about bay area stuff, except for my extensive Spice 1 collection. This is good stuff. Being from Atlanta, Im regionally biased as well so Killer Mike is my shit right now.
The rapper all my hipster friends (aka: people who don’t like rap) are on right now is Childish Gambino
That new philthy rich album should be great!
Great list, Thomas. If the list were to be extended, I’d make the following additions:
Bay Area: Lil B – Gods Father; Lil B – White Flame; and MondreM.A.N. – MC ILLIN.
Non-Bay Area: Curren$y – The Stoned Immaculate; Ab-Soul – Control System; Future – Pluto; Big K.R.I.T. – 4eva N A Day; Rick Ross – Rich Forever; and Metro Zu – Mink Rug.
Bay Area or Non-Bay Area Rap: Kool A.D. – 51.
see a lot of name drops that I’m diggin right now. I’m also really enjoying macmillers macadellic, tyga, and kendrick lamar.
Not many people actually got this post, which is a shame, and then everybody started talking about “rappers for people who don’t listen to rap”, such as El-P and Aesop Rock. THIS IS NOT WHERE THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO!! I hate real hip hop
Are you surprised that people on SYWH don’t have an extensive knowledge of obscure bay hip hop?
Not to imply these posts should stop, because they are great and informative, but it will take a bit before people can really catch up to speed.
Thanks brodude. Hopefully people are enjoying what they hear and are getting put up on some good music with these posts.
thanx as always thomas you put me on some dope shit, although i will say that i was pretty disappointed in block ops, i’m not sure i even liked a song after the single