[Hip-Hop] Armani White – casablanco freestyle (ft. Sango)

Armani White
casablanco freestyle (ft. Sango)

The Philly to LA rapper Armani White has some big things coming. He’s got a major debut project on the way, but in the mean time he’s shared its lead single, as well as the “casablanco freestyle” that we’ve got for you today. Featuring the producer Sango, this heater is not something you’ll want to pass by without engaging.

Armani really brought the flames on this one and so did Sango with a beat that is hood majestic. Although Armani states that this isn’t like what is coming on his upcoming project, we’re still excited all the same. “casablanoc freestyle” breathes a confident creative edge that is sharp and cool. If you’re not adding this to your Spotify playlist, then you’re depriving your future self and your friends.

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[Hip-Hop] Mike G – Chase Clouds EP

Los Angeles creative Mike G has been hard at work on his debut album, Stealth Fighter. To get everybody reacquainted with the Odd Future talent he put together the Chase Clouds EP, complete with ten tracks, half of which were produced by Mike G himself.

Chase Clouds is a solid project from front to back with a good mix of sounds to keep you entertained throughout. Despite there being differing sounds on the EP, Mike G keeps with a motif that fits the project name with an overarching theme of cloudy, atmospheric tones. This more vibe-driven style is easy to let loose with, yet it isn’t so low-key that you get bored with it. Chase Clouds is just what we need to warm up to before the debut album comes.

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Saba’s Ascension Continues @ Slim’s, San Francisco 5/3 [Event Review]

Chicago natives Saba and Joseph Chilliams came through San Francisco this past Thursday night as a stop in Saba’s Care for Me tour. The two co-founders of Pivot Gang, an independent music collective, delivered electric performances in front of an all-ages audience from all over the Bay Area. The show marked Saba’s first return to San Francisco since his Bucket List tour in early 2017. Concertgoers that had attended the 2017 show remarked upon the noticeable improvement in his stage presence and live chops.

Saba reppin for San Francisco

Early opening support for the show came from Chicago compatriot Jean Deaux (check out that wordplay), who later returned to perform the track “Photosynthesis”, a track on which she features. Joseph Chilliams, who happens to be Saba’s brother, took over soon after. Chilliams presented tracks from his debut album Henry Church, named solely for the English translation of Enrique Iglesias’ name. The rest of Chiliams’ set was similarly “tongue-in-cheek”, with plenty of references to eating “groceries”. Chilliams’ set could best be described as a celebration of self and sex. His upbeat attitude and stage presence reflected those of an artist with much to celebrate– expect to be hearing much more from this guy in the near future.

Joseph Chilliams, Pivot Gang cofounder

Donning a topically conscious Kaepernick jersey in San Francisco, Saba blessed us with a relevant display of passion and emotion, drawn from his youth in westside Chicago. The 23 year-old showed why he’s the unofficial frontman of Pivot Gang by captivating the audience with a solid hour’s worth of bars. He let on some signs of an artist that’s still really coming into his own, occasionally seeming surprised at the audience’s familiarity with his discography. Attendees responded with reckless enthusiasm for older tracks like “World in my Hands” and “Westside Bound”, while “LIFE” off of his most recent album Care for Me was undoubtedly the floor-shaking highlight of the night. After two solid album releases in Bucket List and Care for Me and resounding live performances such as Thursday night’s, you can’t help but be excited for things to come from Saba.

Don’t miss out on the chance to see Saba live. You can find the rest of his tour dates here.

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[Music Ninja Radio] Episode 110: Coachella Recap & New Stuff

Music Ninja Radio is a weekly podcast recorded and broadcast live on San Francisco’s BFF.fm  from 4-6PM PST every Friday. 

Music Ninja Radio
Episode 110: Coachella Recap & New Stuff

Soundcloud || Spotify Playlist  || BFF.fm Archive & Tracklist

After a couple weeks off due to Coachella and a post-festival cold, I had a lot of show stories and music to share in this episode. Time is pretty evenly split here between Coachella favorites and brand new music from the last couple weeks.

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Balkan Bump – Aymo Feat. Talib Kweli (Sidecar Tommy Remix) [TMN Premiere]

Balkan Bump
Aymo Feat. Talib Kweli (Sidecar Tommy Remix)

Today marks the release of the Aymo Remixes pack from Balkan Bump. The Talib Kweli collaboration is one of the most unique tracks of the year, showcasing the trumpet enthusiast’s signature sound.

The Oakland creative Sidecar Tommy took on that very track and flipped it into his own special treasure, one that we’re cherishing right along side you in its premiere here. His take is a bit more glitchy and bass-driven than the original, making it the ultimate energetic counterpart. You’re hearing it first here in the dojo and after you enjoy Sidecar Tommy’s take, go on ahead and check out the full EP.

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[Get Crunk] Friday Party Playlist (Vol 290)

Let’s say goodbye to the week and welcome the weekend. We’re pumped and you should be too. There’s been a whole lot of great music coming out over the past several days and we’ve collected some of our favorite free downloads for you today. They shall serve you well as you shake off the worries of class, work or any other undesirable obligations you may have. Whether you’re looking to party hard, or relax at home, there’s music for you here. We’ve got records from MEMBA, Prismo, Felmax, WHIPPED CREAM, Notixx, Herobust and more. We’ll leave you with a note regarding the official remix by Zeke Beats; you better hop on the download quick, it’s only free for 24 hours! PS, we may have one more track than usual in this volume…

’Missy Elliott – Freak (MEMBA Bootleg)’
’ZHU – Faded (Prismo Remix)’
’I Fall Apart (Kaiser X Farrah Remix)’
’Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness (Felmax Remix)’
’CHANGE THE WORLD (WHIPPED CREAM REMIX)’
’Justice – Phantom Pt. II (Midnight Kids Remix)’
’KRANE & QUIX – Next World (ZEKE BEATS Remix)’
’beardthug – This Falafel Has Drugs In It (Notixx Remix)’
’PON CHO – Frozen ft. Paige IV (ËMMË remix)’
’Herobust & Monxx – Giant Squiddim (Herobust VIP)’
’FlexxCalibur – Kill It’
’SQUIRM – Fartstep’
’Brewski – You Stole My Hoodie’

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[Hip-Hop] Deezie Brown – Drive

Most writers within these hallowed grounds of The Music Ninja tend to have a few lesser known albums in their back pocket in which they keep on heavy rotation. One such album in this writer’s library comes from thought provoking Austin, Texas based artist Deezie Brown, who is riding high, fresh off the heels of the release of debut long-player Judith.  A 12-track offering delivering a rebellious synthesis of alternative hip-hop and electronic pop, Judith features more than a few high points for listeners to sink their teeth into.

Standing tall among the excellent sea of Judith’s ciphers, is the sterling single “Drive”. “Drive” runs off the fumes of burbling, synthesized two-step drum patterning, crispy snares and of course Brown’s gritty vocal cadence anchoring it all down. About the album Brown shared: “The lyrics throughout the album paint a picture of my addictions and the things that the industry place in front of us as a disguise on what success is supposed to look like.” Deezie Brown clearly has a progressively fresh mind aimed towards his art, and it’s always refreshing to hear an artist in the realms of rap and hip-hop with a true message to share. Judith is available on all major streaming services, so before you dive in, check out “Drive” below.

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