Lollapalooza 2015: Our Top Takeaways [Event Review]

Lollapalooza-2015

As with any music festival, after Lollapalooza is over, it always takes us a few days to digest everything and snap back to reality. For locals, the festival serves as a three day escape within our own city. For outsiders, it provides them with a completely unique way to experience Chicago. The magic of Lollapalooza is simply unmatched, and despite a weather scare on the final day, Lollapalooza 2015 turned out to be just as memorable as years past. On the next few pages we’ve broken down some of our lasting impressions from Lolla.

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[Hip-Hop] A$AP Mob – Hella Hoes

A$AP Mob
Hella Hoes

As they gear up for the release of their upcoming album, L.O.R.D., A$AP Mob took to Funkmaster Flex and Hot 97 to drop their latest single, “Hella Hoes.” Now if the title didn’t give it away already, this new cut finds the quartet of A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Nast and A$AP Twelvyy boasting about the numerous amount of hoes they’ve amassed in a short period of time, among other gangster platitudes. While the group isn’t exactly breaking any boundaries with this new track, it is still one hell of a banger, featuring the four emcees flowing over a menacing trap instrumental. There’s still no word on a release date for the upcoming album, but stay tuned throughout the summer, as there’s bound to be more fresh music like this on the way.

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[Remix] Lykke Li – No Rest For The Wicked (Feat. A$AP Rocky)

Lykke Li ft. ASAP Rocky
No Rest For The Wicked (Remix)

Subscribers to Beats Music were treated to a pleasant surprise earlier today, when Lykke Li decided to stream the remix of her single, “No Rest For The Wicked,” exclusively through the audio service. This is the internet though, and nothing stays exclusive for very long. Within hours, fans who previously felt left out, could now hear the glorious pairing that is A$AP Rocky and Lykke Li. For Rocky, it’s the latest in a string of heart-stirring pop collaborations that already includes previous team ups with GesaffelsteinJessie Ware and Florence Welch. By adding a little street flair to the already astonishing single, the Harlem native makes the song more accessible to a wider audience, without hurting its overall message.

Check out the stream above, and make sure to pre-order Lykke Li’s upcoming album, I Never Learn, before it hits shelves stateside on May 6th.

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[Hip-Hop] A$AP Rocky – In Distress (Prod. Gesaffelstein)

A$AP Rocky x Gesaffelstein
In Distress

Over the last week, the latest novel-to-movie, Divergent, has been building buzz for their already hyped film by enlisting some of the most exciting up and coming artists to contribute to the soundtrack. For hip-hop fans, today’s release is likely the most exciting. On “In Distress,” French house producer Gesaffelstein teams up with A$AP Rocky for an intense, and appropriately theatrical, track.

Gesaff’s dark and minimal funk sound works particularly well with Rocky’s slowed down, purple-tinted persona. We have already seen Gesaffelstein producing hip-hop on the big stage with his impressive contribution to Yeezus and this is yet another indication of his compatibility with the current direction of the genre. If you are not already familiar with the talented producer’s work, make sure to check out his stellar 2013 album, Aleph

Check the heavy “In Distress” above and hit the Buy link if you’d like to get the whole Divergent soundtrack.

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[Hip-Hop] ScHoolboy Q – Californication (Feat. A$AP Rocky)

ScHoolboy Q Feat. A$AP Rocky
Californication

With ScHoolboy Q‘s long awaited debut album, Oxymoron, finally gracing shelves earlier today, we get a chance to hear one of the Target exclusive bonus tracks, featuring frequent running mate A$AP Rocky. It’s no question that the pair have undeniable chemistry, but unlike previous collaborations “Hands On The Wheel” and “Brand New Guy,” the two up the intensity this time around, rhyming over a hard hitting, synth driven instrumental. While it almost seems blasphemous to include an emcee from Harlem on a track called “Californication,” (rather than opting for one of his TDE cohorts) Rocky brings an unmatched swagger and raw energy that compliments well with Q’s brash, in-your-face attitude. Check out the excellent single above, and if you haven’t already, grab yourself a copy of Oxymoron, available now.

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[NEW] Justin Timberlake – TKO (Black Friday Remix) (Feat. J. Cole, A$AP Rocky & Pusha T)

Justin Timberlake
TKO (Black Friday Remix) (Feat. J. Cole, A$AP Rocky & Pusha T)

And the good music just keeps on coming. Just in time for Black Friday, hit-maker Justin Timberlake drops an unexpected new remix to his latest single, “TKO,” bringing in some heavyweight emcees to deliver some dope verses over the Timbaland production. J.Cole steps up to the plate first, with a vicious verse utilizing a similar flow to Drake‘s on “Versace.” The Roc Nation emcee even gives fans a response to the now infamous Kendrick Lamar diss on “Control.” A$AP follows by addressing the rumors swirling around about his highly talked about love life and Pusha T closes things about by making a case that he has the album of the year. This mix is definitely audio crack and should not go unheard. Take a listen and decide which emcee had the best verse over the addicting beat.

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[Hip-Hop] BET Hip-Hop Awards 2013: The Cyphers

The BET Hip-Hop Awards finally aired earlier tonight, and while I personally am not a huge fan of the show, there’s one segment that I eagerly anticipate every year: The Cyphers. The Cyphers are really where the event truly shines, bringing together some of the most talented emcees in the game, underground and mainstream. This year’s lineup is certainly a formidable one, featuring the likes of TDE, A$AP MobSlaughterhouseAction BronsonTravi$ ScottRittzJon Connor, and even some jokes courtesy of J.B. SmooveKevin Hart, and Nick Cannon. Check out the cyphers below, and let us know who you think went in the hardest (we’re guessing the popular answer will be Kendrick Lamar).

Top Dawg Entertainment (ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, Isaiah Rashad, Kendrick Lamar)

Watch the rest of The Cyphers after the jump

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