F.A.Q. released a remix of Gramitik’s Itz Over from Street Bangerz Volume One this week. The slow, soulful instrumental makes me want to do what Gramitik admits is one of his favorite things to do: smoke weed. Not normally a fan of tracks with no lyrics or verses, but this smooth rendition caught me off guard and before I knew it I was clicking replay. As for my disdain for remixes, dare I say, “Itz Over”?
Download: Gramatik – Itz Over (F.A.Q Remix)
Viceroy gets summer started a little early this year with his mashup of Biggie Smalls’ Going Back to Cali. This rendition gives a feeling of a pina colada in hand, catchin’ rays on the beach in Bora Bora while listening to one of the best tracks from one of the best rappers of all-time. Enjoy ninja’s.
Download from their FB: Notorious B.I.G. – Going Back to Cali (Viceroy “Jet Life” Remix)
Gangrene, comprised of The Alchemist and Oh No, are ready to drop their second full length album, Vodka & Ayahuasca, via Decon Records this week. Straight up: this west coast psychedelic hip-hop collaboration does not fuck around. There’s some weird, grimy beats and lyrics that make you ask yourself, “did he just say that?”
The featured tracks are Dump Truck and Drink Up, but the real diamond on this album is Flame Throwers, and as the title suggests, that banger comes with some heat. Enjoy the free stream, and if it tickles your fancy, pick up a copy this week.
Gangrene – Drink Up feat Roc Marciano
I’ll be honest. I had never heard Of Azad Right. But one verse into his newly released Better Days and it made me re-appreciate underground hip-hop, proving once again mainstream is for the chumps. “I ain’t religious, so they say I got no faith, but I believe in myself, so it’s okay,” could possibly be my favorite lyric so far in 2012. The rest of the track doesn’t fade away, making a statement that this LA-based rapper might be on his way to much bigger and better things.
If you live in Los Angeles or nearby, you can catch Azad Right February 10th at the Heyworth Theatre downtown. Check out his website for all new music and other
tour dates at AzadRight.com or follow him on Twitter @AzadRight.
Azad Right – Better Days (Prod. by Jonathan Marquez)
Anytime a rapper uses a sample from Adele I’m usually hooked instantaneously (see: Lil Wayne – Rolling in the Deep). Shwayze, ready to drop the fourth full length album (W)e (E)volve (E)very (D)ay, tickles my Adele fancy once again by using the voluptuous beauty’s He Won’t Go to tell his side of the sad tale in I Won’t Go.
Proudly from the 310, Malibu to be exact, Shwayze is no stranger to addictive melodies that are more times than not orchestrated by his co-pilot in debauchery, Cisco Adler. And despite Adler being a notorious douche, the dude can produce.
Most MTV-style music duos, such as this one, typically make me snarky and negative, but I can’t deny the easiness that Shwayze flows over beats. Most tracks I’ve listened to from Shwayze, since hitting the scene in 2008, have been mostly non-impressive, but like previously stated, rappers using anything Adele greatly perks my interest. And this I Won’t Go mix reaffirms that and my love for that big boned beauty.
Considering the track record, I wouldn’t expect true hip-hop heads to give too many props, but hopefully Shwayze can build on the momentum this track brings. We shall see. Until then keep up with updates on Shwayze.com.
Shwayze – I Wont Go (Ft. Adele)
Gift of Gab, half of the popular Bay Area rap duo Blackalicious, released Protocol this week, a track from his upcoming album The Next Logical Progression that’s due to drop March 27th thru Quannam Projects.
The track is refreshing for a simple reason: It’s simple. The beat is not overdone, there is no auto tune and the lyrics actually have meaning, opposed to just another blunts and bitches anthem that seems to plague the rap world today. Hearing an emcee with an extensive vocabulary and clear message is a lost art in hip-hop and Gift of Gab appears to find that on Protocol. Samantha Kravitz (chorus) solidifies the track, making this one of the earliest bangers of 2012.
Gift of Gab will be kicking off a small west coast tour starting January 20th in Crystal Bay, Nevada at the Crown Room. Keep up with dates and details on the album and tour on his official website giftstribution.blogspot.com.
Gift of Gab – Protocol ft. Samantha Kravitz
