Author Archives: Baseer Ahmad

[Hip-Hop] GoldLink – Fuck The Internet

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - December 26, 2014

DMV native GoldLink was feeling the Christmas spirit last night, as he dropped off 3 unreleased demos as a little holiday gift for all his loyal fans. The short little compilation, lovingly titled Fuck The Internet, is a showcase of everything we love about the talented young emcee, as he spits slick rhymes over Disclosure‘s “Grab Her” and a dope flip of Missy Elliott‘s “Get Ur Freak On,” while also touching on the subject of unnecessary violence in “What’s A Black Life Worth?” Fuck The Internet provides a neat little peek into the vaults, and gives us a small idea of what’s going on behind the scenes. After listening to this, it’s safe to say we’re definitely hyped to see what else GoldLink has in store for us in 2015.

’GoldLink
Grab Her (Disclosure remix)’

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’GoldLink
G.Y.L.O (unmixed demo)’

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’GoldLink
What’s A Black Life Worth?(1 year old anniversary demo )’

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Hip/Hop

[Hip-Hop] Wale & A-Trak – Festivus EP

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - December 23, 2014

Less than a week after announcing his new collaborative EP with A-Trak, Wale‘s new Festivus EP has finally arrived just in time for the holiday (for those of you unfamiliar with Seinfeld lore, I refer you to this.) Despite how you may feel about the quality of his studio albums, there’s no question Wale has always had a firm grasp on the mixtape game. That trend continues here, as Wale’s latest project falls right in line with previous Seinfeld-inspired works like The Mixtape About Nothing and More About Nothing. With a wide array of features including Pusha T, Chance The Rapper & The Social Experiment, Ab-Soul, A$AP Ferg and more, serves as a promising appetizer as a the seasoned emcee prepares to release The Album About Nothing sometime in 2015. Stream a few of our favorite selections from the project, and follow the download link below.

DOWNLOAD: Wale x A-Trak – Festivus

’Wale – The Deep End Featuring Pusha T (Prod. by Tone P)’

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’Wale – Friendship Heights Featuring Chance the Rapper & The Social Experiment (Prod. by Omega & Raak)’

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’Wale
Keep it Moving (Freestyle) Featuring Ab Soul & Magazeen (Prod. by THC)’

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’Wale
Blood Money 3.5 Featuring A$AP Ferg (Prod. by Marce Reazon)’

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Hip/Hop

[Hip-Hop] Joey Bada$$ – Curry Chicken (Prod. Statik Selektah)

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - December 23, 2014

Joey Bada$$
Curry Chicken (Prod. by Statik Selektah)

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With a couple days left until Christmas, Joey Bada$$ decided to drop off a small gift ahead of the release of his debut album, B4.DA.$$. The latest single from the upcoming project keeps with the spirit of the season, as Joey pays tribute to his mother and reflects back on some cherished memories. The ill piano-laden Statik Selektah instrumental serves as the perfect backdrop for the nostalgic cut, and while Joey takes a more relaxed tone, he still manages to lay down some slick bars and maintains some of that rebellious attitude. Check out the dope new cut above, and make sure to grab yourself a copy of B4.DA.$$ on iTunes before it hits shelves on January 20th.

Hip/Hop

[NEW] The Weeknd – Earned It

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - December 23, 2014

The Weeknd
Earned It

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I’ll admit, I don’t know much about the Fifty Shades of Grey series, but from what I do understand about it, I can tell you there’s no artist more fitting for the movie’s soundtrack than The Weeknd. Presenting the first single from the upcoming film adaptation, Abel brings us a slinky little ditty that fits in perfectly with the theme of the upcoming motion picture. Appropriately enough, the Canadian crooner aims for a more cinematic sound on this number, relying on mooney piano riffs and heavy strings to set the mood, instead of his typical alternative R&B sound. Despite the departure though, his sleek vocals sound just as sharp on this seductive, spine-tingling new tune. Take a listen to “Earned It” below, and make sure to grab yourself a copy on iTunes.

[Hip-Hop] Little Simz – Age 101: Drop 3|000

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - December 19, 2014

At the end of the year, it’s always intriguing to reflect back on the previous months and see how some of our favorite artists have grown. One such artist that comes to mind is Little Simz. Around this point last year, Simz wasn’t even on our radar, but it wasn’t long before she entered our consciousness with the release of “Mandarin Oranges” alongside Waldo & Sango. 11 months later, we can’t even imagine life without Simz, as she’s endeared herself as one of our favorite emcees to emerge from the UK. The quick witted London native is more than just a rapper though, as she easily proves with her latest project, Age 101: Drop 3|000. This being her fourth and final release of the year, Simz is on a determined path to showcase what makes her such an impressive talent. Featuring production from the likes of IAMNOBODI, MeLo-X, Jakwob, Tiffany Gouché, Sevn Thomas and Prezident Jeff, Age 101: Drop 3|000 is a smooth and engrossing listen throughout, blending together a potent mix of dizzying bars and delicate vocals. There’s no doubt in our minds that Simz has cemented a place for herself in hip-hop, and we’re interested to see where she takes us in 2015.

Stream and download the entire EP below, and make sure to also check out Little Simz’s recent sessions with BBC 1xtra’s Live Lounge.

DOWNLOAD: Little Simz – Age 101: Drop 3|000

’Little Simz – No Introduction (Prod. IAMNOBODI)’

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’Little Simz – Closer (Ft. Tiffany Gouché)’

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’Little Simz – Frozen (Prod. IAMNOBODI)’

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’Little Simz – Circles (Ft. MeLo X)’

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’Little Simz – Intervention (Prod. Sevn Thomas + Prezident Jeff)’

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’Little Simz – Used To Know (Prod. Jakwob)’

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[R&B] Miguel – nwa.hollywooddreams.coffee EP

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - December 19, 2014

2014 was a quiet year for Miguel, but the LA crooner couldn’t resist getting one last word in, surprising his fans with some free music this morning to tide them over until 2015. The three track EP, aptly titled nwa.hollywooddreams.coffee, draws its name from the tracklist itself. The project is more stripped down compared to the lush and vibrant dynamics found on 2012’s Kaleidoscope Dream, but the sound is still distinctly Miguel at its core. All three songs differ greatly from each other, yet still manage to create a harmonious balance together, something that is tough to achieve with such a short sample. The sole feature on the EP comes from Kurupt, who adds a dope little verse to the murky, percussion-driven “nwa.” That’s followed by the grungy, yet optimistic “hollywooddreams,” before closing things off with the effervescent “coffee,” which falls into more familiar territory sonically speaking.

Stream and download the neat little gift below, and stay tuned for more from Miguel as we turn our calendars to 2015.

’Miguel
nwa ft. Kurupt’

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’Miguel
hollywooddreams’

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’Miguel
coffee’

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[NEW] Rich Homie Quan – Tell Me Why (Feat. Drake) + Rich Gang – Tha Tour Part 2

Posted by Baseer Ahmad - December 11, 2014

’Rich Homie Quan
Tell Me Why (Feat. Drake)’

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When Birdman first recruited Rich Homie Quan & Young Thug to be a part of Rich Gang, it seemed like a natural fit as Quan and Thugger were already two of the more prominent rising faces at the forefront of the ATL rap scene. Now, the group has plans for a sequel to their successful mixtape, Tha Tour Part 1. Though we have no concrete release date for the project, it seems as if most–if not all–the tracks have now surfaced online. Featuring guest spots from Drake, Fabolous, Ty Dolla $ign and Dej Loaf, the star studded follow-up seems poised to build upon where the last left off. Regardless of where the tracks are from, this should be enough to power you through your New Year’s Celebrations. Check out the Drizzy assisted single above, and stream the rest of the tracks after the jump. Continue reading →

Hip/Hop