Insomniac’s Weekly Top Ten hits ya with another round of ten chart-busting power-packed tracks! If you browse the list, you’ll notice an insane amount of collabos. Emcees are partnering up to produce heat that will burn through our speakers way beyond the summer. We’re talkin’ top of the line lyrical action that demands to be heard. So why delay things any further? Let’s get started with this week’s Top Ten!
1) STATIK SELEKTAH enlisted long time collaborators, ACTION BRONSON & JOEY BADA$$, for the first single from his forthcoming “Lucky 7” album. If you’re still wondering if the track’s any good after hearing those three names, you’ve probably been living underneath a rock for the past few years. If that’s the case you’re forgiven for your ignorance. Otherwise, we can’t help you. Just press play and enjoy “Beautiful Life.”…and PLEASE, no more stupid questions!
2) JOELL ORTIZ & producer extraordinaire, !LLMIND, have been hidden away in the lab cooking up new material for their joint “Human” album dropping July 17th. In the meantime though, they gave us a major taste of things to come with a super collabo featuring BODEGA BAMZ, EMILIO ROJAS & CHRIS RIVERS. “Latino Pt. 2” showcased raw, animalistic beats and rhymes that blew out our speakers…and our MINDS!
3) L-DRO recruited some BIG GUNS outside of his native “Crakron,” Ohio hometown for his “The Life We Live” track. Former rivals, JADAKISS & BEANIE SIGEL, spit flames over an enhanced version of Melvin Bliss’ classic “Synthetic Substitution” break and took Hip Hop lyricism to new heights! It would be so easy for L-Dro to coast alongside these titans of the rap game…but he BODIED the track with unlimited skills that ensure success on his ascension toward the throne of Hip Hop’s elite.
4) BEANZ is one of the most underrated talents in the industry. Her content and lyrical delivery are unmatched & she can even rip a competitor to shreds in Spanish if she so chooses! In a world overrun by social media madness she remains elusive, which instantly adds to her mystique. Her latest banger is titled “Be In Touch.” All of the aforementioned skills are readily on display and showcase an emcee destined for greatness in the rap game…and beyond! For maximum satisfaction, keep this track on repeat, listen to her “Explicit Lyricist” mixtape, then cop her brand new album, “Lipsticks And Timbs” on iTunes NOW!!!
5) CORMEGA joined forces with ROC MARCIANO and delivered laid back flows & well-honed lyrical techniques to behind-the-boards genius, Marco Polo’s, latest sinister soundscape. “No Filter” draws you in and threatens to never let go with its unforgiving beats, grooves and DJ Skizz powered cuts. It’ll spit you out, leaving you roughed up and bloody…but you’ll definitely wanna go back for more!
6) CZARFACE teamed up with LARGE PROFESSOR for a “World Premier” that shook the very foundation of the Insomniac offices! The Mr. Magic(R.I.P.)sampling, beat blasting, rhyme hurling track kept things funky around here…and obviously, that’s the way we like it!
7) Brooklyn’s, RROSE RROME, called on another rhyme slayer from the borough, SKYZOO, to assist in ripping an M Phazes masterwork called “What We Talkin Bout.” Bodying a track like this is the Brooklyn way. Dope music is the agenda of the day & one play will tell you EXACTLY what they’re talkin’ bout!
8) STS & RJD2 dropped off a bonus track from their collabo album that reached the height of sonic brilliance. Master of production, RJD2, and fantasic Philly spitter, STS, possess that special creative chemistry that transforms any material they release into an experience unto itself. “High Life” is another gem from the dynamic duo that reinforces the power of quality music!
9) PEN PALS are known for their raw, filthy, “not safe for work” lyrical content…but this time they showed off their versatility by delivering something different. The group slowed down the pace & detailed feelings of depression and heartbreak on “Blue.” It’s a savvy move from the crew that prevents the media from pigeonholing them into one particular type of sound or style. The end result is a lush, mellow gem with top shelf lyrics from a group we’ll be hearing more from for years to come!
10) DJ SOKO knows how to get listeners to cop his “Domino Effect” album on August 21st. It was pretty simple actually. He recruited lyrical powerhouses HASSAAN MACKEY, MARVWON & FINALE, then left them to do their thing on the Def Dee produced, “Take Notes.” It all adds up to unforgettable music for the ages. Yes kids, Hip Hop is alive!
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON”T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
