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March 2018 - *PlayLi$t of the Month*

The first quarter of 2018 belongs to the underground!

Over the last few weeks, we have seen one of the strongest stretches of quality hip-hop releases in recent memory. From the Black Panther soundtrack to Skyzoo, Nipsey Hussle, Black Milk, Elzhi, a surprise release from Phonte, Roc Marciano and many more, the last few weeks have yielded an onslaught of sounds as diverse as they are immensely enjoyable.

Anyone that ready my review of Roc Marciano’s fantastic new album, Rosebudd’s Revenge Pt. 2: The Bitter Dose, knows that I hold Roc in pretty high esteem. I could have easily dedicated the first 14 slots to Roc’s whole album, but it wouldn’t be right with so much great music out there right now. I gave plenty of well-deserved shine to Roc this month, but it’s also important to talk about all of these other impressive releases, on this extra-large, extra BANGIN’, playlist for this month (one of the best ever!)…

1. “Tent City” - Roc Marciano

https://genius.com/Roc-marciano-tent-city-lyrics

(Sheesh, that sample - ”walkin’ in the clooooouds”…what a beautifully soulful cut. But what really makes this one standout is the blistering verse from Roc that I’m still working to unravel, featuring killer bars like, “can’t hit reverse and pay for things I ain’t earned / I heard the herb was dipped in sherm, bitches’ vision blurred / the German engines purr like leopards / couldn’t get a gig at Eckerd, they said my past was checkered / my ghetto pass is good, I never had to check it…” Shame on you if you didn’t lay down cash for this album. Rosebudd’s Revenge Pt. 2, current front runner for album of the year.)

2. “The Sauce” - Roc Marciano

https://genius.com/Roc-marciano-the-sauce-lyrics

(A dark, prog-rock sample yields the perfect soundscape for Roc Marciano to tap dance over. In contrast to the bleak ambiance, some of the funniest references on the album happen to appear on this track, including a fiercely defensive stance on the strength of his momma’s biscuits. This feels like classic Marci, but with an extra bounce in his step, and it makes for top notch hip-hop.)

3. “C.V.S.” - Roc Marciano

https://genius.com/Roc-marciano-cvs-lyrics

(The spaced-out sample is sick, and once again the bars are uncannily good: “187s fellas / cane sellers / back when Kane was sellin’, I had the big chain with the name embedded / Made some bread, and my ladies aided and abetted / the Mercedes ain’t rented, I was saving up to get it.”)

4. “Seasons” - Mozzy, Sjava & Reason

https://genius.com/Mozzy-sjava-and-reason-seasons-lyrics

(Black Panther is a great film, but when it comes to overall quality of the art, the soundtrack is running neck and neck alongside it. There are plenty of great moments on the album, but this Sacramento to South Africa connection feels really special. Sounwave, Kendrick Lamar & Frank Dukes provide a gorgeous, piano-driven production, a transformative canvas for Mozzy, Sjava and Reason to spills their souls onto.)

5. “67 Lobby” - Roc Marciano

https://genius.com/Roc-marciano-67-lobby-lyrics

(This one thumps, and should be played at high volume. It’s a celebration for surviving the perilous life of drug dealing to live in comfort today. “How can I be demonized for speakin’ on the shit I’ve seen with these eyes”….an orgy of potent quotables on this one.)

6. “Expensive Genes” - Phonte

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_nvRMuOaUs

(Holy crap, Phonte’s pen game is strong with this album. I’m still absorbing each track, but it is beautiful hip-hop from top to bottom. “Expensive Genes” is an immediate stand-out. A dope rap song about health struggles that are often associated with being middle-aged and black? Wow, this is “keeping it real” redefined.)

7. “Respected” - Roc Marciano

https://genius.com/Roc-marciano-tent-city-lyrics

(After a brief break from RR2, I’m right back at it with yet another selection as Roc kicks the door off the hinges with this steely album intro. Short, but impactful as always.)

8. “Paramedic!” - SOB x RBE feat. Kendrick Lamar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2_A89qTgwM

(Kendrick strikes again, giving Bay Area collective SOB x RBE the co-sign of all co-signs. The young slingers make the most of their moment in the spotlight and immediately show why they are a group to watch. The energy and hunger is through the roof, making it feel more like an upgrade to classic West Coast gangsta rap than any other song on the soundtrack. Young Killmonger would have definitely kept this one on repeat!)

9. “Boblo Boat” - Royce Da 5′9″ feat. J. Cole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3En9UUAI0Xc

(With PRhyme 2 already sounding like a project that should be in the album of the year conversation, this nostalgic gem from Royce Da 5′9″ dropped out of nowhere as an exclusive on Spotify - a mysteriously timed non-album cut that appeared on a number of blogs last week. Cole jumps on board to dial the self-reflection up to 11, and the final product makes for a superb teaser for whatever project this may end up appearing on.)

10. “Dedication” - Nipsey Hussle feat. Kendrick Lamar

https://pitchfork.com/news/kendrick-lamar-joins-nipsey-hussle-on-new-song-dedication-listen/

(Victory Lap is being hailed by many as an album of the year contender. While I wasn’t as wowed by it, I was impressed by Nipsey’s work on the album. He has been a respected rap personality for a while, but with this project he flashes enough perspective and writing ability to earn his respect as a great MC. He and Kendrick are a great combo on “Dedication”, as both artists show that they are not just interested in improving their own quality of life, but their communities as well.)

11. “Man of the Kitchen” - Benny

https://soundcloud.com/bennythebutcher1/benny-the-butcher-man-of-the-kitchen

(Benny and 38 Spesh are two rap legends hailing from upstate NY. Their new Stabbed & Shot tape is one of the best projects of 2018 - seriously, don’t sleep, WAKE UP folks - but man, on the solo tip, hearing Benny flash autobiographical bars over this somber Chup instrumental…this is the kinda stuff that makes the Griselda verbal assassin so special when it comes to that street poetry.)

12. “True Lies” - Black Milk

https://soundcloud.com/massappealrecs/truelies

(Black Milk’s new album is a triumph. One of the best examples of sophisticated instrumentation on a rap album that I have heard since The Roots’ last album, the talented producer/rapper explores a number of social issues on FEVER. And it all comes together perfectly on “True Lies”.)

13. “Suu Whoop” - YG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVX4nlONkEc

(YG dances all over this one with a fierce display of his gang loyalty, flow-etry, and the potential zone that he will be in when his Stay Dangerous album drops later this year.)

14. “Breguets” - Jericho Jackson (Elzhi & Khrysis)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYFdNbw98xY

(Elzhi has been one of the nicest in the game for years…so if you’re surprised by the fact that he dropped a dope project with Khrysis, and rocked joints like “Brequets” with the sharpest of bars, then you need to catch up.)

15. “VanNess” - Cozz

https://genius.com/Cozz-vanness-lyrics

(Don’t tell me you missed Cozz’ dope album, Effected?? If you did, get on that and check out his work on tracks like this one. Cozz delivered across the whole tape, but this ode to his old stomping ground showcases his skill as well as anything else that he has done.)

16. “Proud” - 2 Chainz feat. YG & Offset

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/2-chainz-proud-ft-yg-and-offset/

(Oh and I really hope you didn’t sleep on 2 Chainz’ The Play Don’t Care Who Makes It EP!? Every track on there was single-worthy, but YG and Offset help muscle this one to the top. Whenever I hear a 2 Chainz verse nowadays, I struggle to remember at what point 2 Chainz transitioned from being a punchline to one of the most reliable MCs in hip-hop? Remarkable.)

17. “Kill You” - Roc Marciano

https://genius.com/Roc-marciano-kill-you-lyrics

(It’s been too long since we had a Rosebudd joint on this list, don’t you think? Boom, your wish has been granted - here’s one of the more threatening cuts off of the album.)

18. “Look Alive” - BlocBoy JB feat. Drake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV-3s2wwC8c

(Truth be told, I hadn’t heard of BlocBoy JB before this one. But given Drake’s history of jumping on trendy rappers before they become household names, and the fact that he delivers his hardest flow since “Back To Back”, this song is a keeper.)

19. “Blues Laces 2” - Nipsey Hussle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ujo7icpH8&list=PLOdcVYm_mf0p28izkkOzJQhpzEUwCNcaD

(A “Maybach Music”-esque standout off of Victory Lap, Nipsey blesses us with some of the best bars of his career with “Blue Laces 2″.)

20. “A.S.S.” - LoRd Lu CN feat. Denzel Curry & Ann Wise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjWaoJ7m7_I

(Keep an eye on the company that Denzel Curry keeps, because LoRd Lu C N’s compilation project is stacked with strong tracks. I’m not actually sure what “A.S.S.” stands for here, but do not dismiss this as yet another tired ode to the booty. This is Denzel waxing reflective bars and hitting us with sweet cadillac music.)

21. “Major League” - Roc Marciano feat. Knowledge The Pirate

https://www.vibe.com/2018/02/ufo-fev-fat-joe-kent-jones-wraith/

(Roc and Knowledge rock this soaring monster of an instrumental, yet another rewind-worthy track from RR2.)

22. “Opps” - Vince Staples, Yugen Blakrok & Kendrick Lamar

http://www.vulture.com/2018/02/kendrick-lamar-vince-staples-get-upstaged-on-opps.html

(I’m not one of the old heads that’s turned off by the electronic sound of “Opps”. All I hear is L.A. and South Africa represented so well by all three talented artists riding this beat, which is a hard cut regardless of whether or not you mostly associate it with the big car chase scene in Black Panther.)

23. “Once or Twice” - Radio B feat. Fly Anakin, Henny L.O. & Nickelus F

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvEONYGaMBs

(I am enjoying Radio B’s Jesus Never Wore A Suit right now. It’s a spiritual project filled with strong moments, but when joined by some of Virginia’s underground elites, the album is taken to another level.)

24. “Tunnel Vision” - Dabrye feat. Guilty Simpson

https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/02/dabrye-shares-track-by-track-breakdown-of-his-new-album-three-three-stream/

(I’m getting some DJ Spinna vibes on this new Dabrye album…and I’m lovin’ it! Great, great album from a producer that I knew little about, but will be looking out for in the future. This head-nodder meets Guilty Simpson’s tough bars and makes magic.)

25. “Black” - Buddy feat. A$AP Ferg

https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/buddy-asap-ferg-black/

(This is FIRE, a late edition to the list. Ferg’s winning streak continues, but it’s Buddy’s delivery on this black-powered anthem that pushes “Black” over the top.)

*Bonus - Honorable Mention*

“Party Time” - Nino Man feat. Jadakiss

https://soundcloud.com/imninoman/nino-man-x-jadakiss-party-time

(I like what I’ve been hearing from Nino lately…but grabbing Jada to rock over an under-appreciated 90′s hip-hop classic like “Party Time” by Tracey Lee??? This is friggin’ GREAT, a welcome surprise.)

“First Law Of Nature Rock Day” - Dabrye feat. Denmark Vessey

https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/02/dabrye-shares-track-by-track-breakdown-of-his-new-album-three-three-stream/

(Another great selection off of Dabrye’s album. Dabrye & Denmark sound like they are channeling Mos Def and DJ Spinna here and hot damn is that a good thing!)

“Headstone” - Flatbush Zombies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ924VGx5n0

(A big welcome back to Flatbush Zombies, who are flashing some of the strongest bars of their career on”Headstone”. This got lost in the shuffle of a ton of strong releases this quarter, so make sure you give this track some much deserved spins.)

“Get The F**k Off My D**k” - Vince Staples

https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/03/10/592119892/in-promising-to-go-away-vince-staples-reveals-another-strong-play-to-stay

(The title alone is a good indication of the message that he’s going for, so clearly Vince has a lot to get off his chest. This one feels like a good balance between Vince’s darker early work, and his current flirtation with EDM-inspired, electronic sounds - a success all around,)

“Coming From Queens” - Ali Vegas, Big Twins & Tragedy Khadafi

https://soundcloud.com/deep-concepts-media/ali-vegas-tragedy-khadafi-big-twinz-comin-from-queens

(Queens, stand up! Classic NYC underground sound right here, yet it sounds as fresh as any rap music out right now.)

“Juice & Gin” - Valee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24rgUa1HDoo

(Smooth as hell. Simply put, no one’s flow is messing with Valee right now. Keep an eye on him - and watch how many rappers in 2018 start jackin’ his sound, you’ll see…)

“Duck Boots” - Willie The Kid & Klever Skemes feat. Eto & Manic

http://rapradar.com/2018/02/28/new-video-willie-the-kid-klever-skemes-ft-eto-manic-duck-boots/

(Willie has been on a hot streak, seemingly cooking up a new EP every month. His recent tape with Denver producer Klever Skemes may be my favorite from his recent flurry of projects, and contributions from Eto & Manic officially make “Duck Boots” one of the hardest cuts of the month.)

“Tunnel Vision” - J Scienide & Futurewave

https://soundcloud.com/officialcratemusic/j-scienide-futurewave-mystery-science

(Classic underground hip-hop right here. Toronto and D.C. make beautiful music together with “Tunnel Vision”, and this Futurewave production is superb.)

“Wraith” - UFO Fev feat. Kent Jones & Fat Joe

https://www.vibe.com/2018/02/ufo-fev-fat-joe-kent-jones-wraith/

(Fev, Kent and Joe blitz a hard instrumental that sounds like rap music’s answer to The Wizard Of Oz’s “Oh-WE-Ohhh” Witch’s guard song. Come for the beat and bars, but circle back again and again for the fire hook.)

“Muse” - Roc Marciano

http://www.complex.com/music/2018/02/the-best-rap-verse-of-the-month-february-2018

(A HUGE shout-out to Angel Diaz for making this Complex’s February Verse of the Month…less than 48 hours after RR2 came out! Roc is downright Ghostface-esque on “Muse”, going-in over a lovely soul sample.)

“Off The Lot” - EarthGang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbj0h3mkxX0

(Southern, soulful, and super-talented….the ATL’s alternative upstarts sound as impressive as ever on their new Royalty EP.)

“Corniche” - Roc Marciano feat. Action Bronson

https://www.vibe.com/2018/02/ufo-fev-fat-joe-kent-jones-wraith/

(The sweet loop on “Corniche” paired with Roc’s bars would have been enough, but Bam Bam’s strong verse propels this up the highly competitive “best of Rosebudd 2″ chart.)

“Gorillas” - CRIMEAPPLE & Big Ghost feat. Benny, Milano & Eto

https://soundcloud.com/bigghostltd/gorillas-feat-benny-x-milano?in=bigghostltd/sets/crimeapple-aguardiente

(Wow. Some of underground hip-hop’s finest spitters in the biz right now are gettin’ busy on this one. You need to check out the full catalogues of every artist on here.)

“X” - Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz & Saudi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ide2hwrSZn0

(The whole Black Panther soundtrack is on 10, but this line-up is about as fearsome as it gets.)

“Snowbeach” - SHIRT feat. Chase

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/shirt-pure-beauty/

(New York’s SHIRT does his own thing, and with his latest project, Pure Beauty, he occasionally colors outside the lines and shows more of what he’s capable of, rather than unleashing the full extent of his lyrical skills. Nevertheless, songs like “Snowbeach” flash enough talent that warrants adding Pure Beauty to your playlist. )

“Corner Store” - DrxQuinnx feat. Chris Crack

https://soundcloud.com/drxquinnx/corner-store-ft-chris-crack

(Chris Crack has great chemistry with a number of rap’s finest within Chicago’s deep underground rap scene, but this joint with talented rapper/producer DrxQuinnx has me hoping we hear more collaborations like “Corner Store” in the future.)

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/170468756216/february-2018-playli-t-of-the-month

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