#blp2020

[beatsforbrothels]

DJ Blackpower - Sorrel Juice

[theeverlastingshade]

Last week MIKE dropped a new EP called BLP2020 "King of the Night" under his producer alias, dj blackpower, and although it sounds like more of a loose stopgap between proper LPs, there's still plenty that's engaging about this release. Highlight "Marge Simpson" blossoms to life with triumphant horn loops, a dusty boom bap rhythm, and euphoric synths that bleed into the edges of MIKE's raps. MIKE comes out of the gates brandishing one of his sharpest flows to date as he ruminates on the unrelenting struggles of simply existing "She see my living, no this isn't right/I tried to warn you, now I'm living life/To keep me caught up now, this isn't lies". The bleak imagery conveyed throughout the verses is juxstaposed superbly against the bright brass backdrop, and MIKE is continuing to convey more with less as a vocalist.

MIKE's writing continues to grow more evocative and succinct with each subsequent release of his, and while nothing on this EP touches the highs of Renaissance Man or War in My Pen, he's continuing to chisel away the excess of his artistry, leaving only what's absolutely necessary to convey his ideas. Although though this release isn't credited to his own name, there's a heightened sense of assurance that ripples throughout the EP that suggests MIKE has gotten comfortable meshing his different approaches to music making into one seamless suite. BLP2020 "King of the Night" is more tantalizing for what it portends about the next MIKE LP than for what's actually here, but although these 9 brief songs don't linger quite as long as his past work, they're still compelling snapshots of an artist that's still in the midst of a major creative stride.

[defjux]

Defjux’s Top 50 Hip Hop Albums of 2020

It probably goes without saying that 2020 was a mess overall, and even that feels like an understatement, but it still ended up being an incredible year for music. So many quality releases, and it seemed like most of my favorite artists all had something important to say. MVPs for me this year are Wrecking Crew, Backwoodz, Boldy James, Moor Mother, Serengeti, Iceberg Theory, Ransom, AKAI SOLO, Navy Blue, August Fanon, and Nicholas Craven. 

As always, this is all based on replay value & personal significance. Definitely not an attempt at any kind of objective, irrefutable ranking - just a visual representation of what albums resonated with me the most in 2020. I gotta say though, if you think it was a weak year for rap releases there’s a chance you just weren’t looking hard enough. Also, if you’d like, you can click the names of the albums and it’ll take you to the bandcamp page or somewhere else you can listen.  Chart with Album Titles included Spotify Playlist

1. Armand Hammer - Shrines 2. Aesop Rock - Spirit World Field Guide 3. Boldy James / Sterling Toles - Manger on McNichols 4. R.A.P. Ferreira - purple moonlight pages 5. Moor Mother & Billy Woods - BRASS 6. Serengeti & Kenny Segal - AJAI 7. Ka - Descendants of Cain 8. Small Bills - Don't Play It Straight 9. AMANI + KING VISION ULTRA - An Unknown Infinite 10.Your Old Droog - Dump YOD: Krutoy Edition

11. zeroh - BLQLYTE 12. The Koreatown Oddity - Little Dominiques Nosebleed 13.Zilla Rocca & Chong Wizard - Midnight Sons  14 Open Mike Eagle - Anime, Trauma & Divorce 15. Deca - Snakes & Birds 16. Curly Castro & PremRock - ShrapKnel 17. Navy Blue - Song of Sage: Post Panic! 18. Iceberg Theory & August Fanon - Dispatches From The Kali Yuga 19. Blu & Exile - Miles 20. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo

21. Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin - FlySiifu's  22. clipping. - Visions of Bodies Being Burned  23. Preservation - Eastern Medicine, Western Illness 24. Ill Scholars (MC Mattic & Madwreck) - Ill Scholars 25. Mach-Hommy - Mach's Hard Lemonade 26. Quelle Chris & Chris Keys - Innocent Country 2 27. Boldy James & Real Bad Man - Real Bad Boldy 28. Ransom x Nicholas Craven - Director's Cut: Scene 3 29. $ilkMoney - Attack of the Future Shocked...  30. Googie & Henry Canyons - Hijinx 

31. Oblique Strategies - Raw Pastiche  32. Futurewave & Raz Fresco - Gorgeous Polo Sportsmen  33. Boldy James & The Alchemist - The Price of Tea In China 34. MIKE - Weight Of The World 35. Cambatta - LSD: Lunar Solar Duality 36. Akai Solo - Ride Alone, Fly Together  37. Rome Streetz & Farma Beats - Kontraband 38. Cargo Cults - Nihilist Millennial 39. Killah Priest - Rocket to Nebula 40. Roc Marciano - Mt. Marci

41. Elzhi - Seven Times Down Eight Times Up 42. Ialive - I'll Wait Forever 43. lojii - lo&behold 44. ETO - The Beauty of It 45. Sa-Roc - The Sharecropper's Daughter 46. Curly Castro & Small Professor - BLUu Edwards 47. Homeboy Sandman & Quelle Chris - Don't Feed The Monster 48. Fatboi Sharif & Roper Williams - Gandhi Loves Children 49. Clear Soul Forces - ForcesWithYou 50. Demahjiae - And, Such Is Life.  TOP 15 EPs: 1. Lupe Fiasco - House 2. Defcee & Nick Arcade - ceenick 3. DJ BlackPower - BLP2020 "King of the Night" 4. Ransom & Nicholas Craven - Crime Scenes 5. Akai Solo - Eleventh Wind 6. The Doppelgangaz - G Pack, Vol. 2 7. Skyzoo - Milestones 8. Serengeti & Kenny Segal - Kdxmpc 9. Sleep Sinatra & Killer Kane - Voodoo Kit 10. obijuan x dylantheinfamous - DEUS ANIMI 11. Uptown XO - Culture over Corporate 12. QThree - yesterday is over 13. Sadistik - Elysium 14. YUNGMORPHEUS - Mise En Place 15. Henny L.O. & Sycho Sid - Greystone

[uniquequotesonlife]

MIKE Releases Debut dj blackpower EP BLP2020 “King of the Night”: Listen A Halloween treat from the Bronx rapper and producer Source

[beatsforbrothels]

DJ Blackpower - Rootin4?

[beatsforbrothels]

DJ Blackpower - Piercing Thru The Night