Insomniac Magazine returns with our first Weekly Top Ten of 2016. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll wonder how the year could’ve flown by so fast…but most importantly you’ll be listening to the best music the underground has to offer. Now on to the Top 10!
1) LOGIC already delivered a dope album for 2015(The Incredible True Story), but held back one final gem featuring SLUG of Atmosphere & Run The Jewels’ KILLER MIKE until the VERY end of the year. “Tree Of Life” samples Common’s hard-driving single, “The Corner,” and contains lush, soul-stirring melodies courtesy of producer, Tae Beast, that instantly trigger waves of nostalgia. As your senses become overpowered with emotion, the three emcees speak on the things that REALLY matter in life. If you shed a tear at the end of the song we won’t laugh. They got to us too.
2) SMOKE DZA combined a good sense of humor with dope beats & rhymes and a dose of cold, hard truth! The Relly Rell produced banger, “I Got Kids,” is the ultimate head-nodding street anthem for all the fathers gettin’ their hustle on to provide for their seeds while still “HEARIN’ IT” from their baby mamas. That’s the REAL gansta ish! When temperature’s are risin’ on the domestic scene play this joint to cool yourself down.
3) DAVID BANNER linked up with X to channel conscious energy to the sleeping masses on “The Cross.” The Gensu Dean produced track was supposed to be a little tidbit to tide us over until the release of “The God Box” album…but it is in fact so much more. Listen to the powerful lyricism showcased on the cut & behold the essence of a true emcee!
4) A.K. reps for Chicago’s underground scene by delivering quality lyrics & a smooth flow on his latest banger that reinforces the “out with the old, in with the new” adage that has been passed down through each generation.”Evolution” sports solid production from Honorable C.N.O.T.E that grips you immediately & never lets go. When achieving your goals in life regression’s not an option. You have to move forward and EVOLVE!
5) ROGUE VENOM teams up with PLANET ASIA to spit complex rhyme styles over beats from powerhouse production duo, DirtyDiggs, on the new cut, “Brink Trucks.” Hip Hop music is always at its best when it’s being executed by skilled artists who understand & respect the craft. One listen to the soulful yet sinister soundscape construction & intricacy of the rhyme patterns was all we needed as confirmation that these talents are masters of the game!
6) BOB BANNER bounced another artist out of the Top 10 to blast his way onto the charts with “Big Gunz.” He’s actually done that before & it’s not a surprise, because his talent & presence on the mic are undeniable. The new track that appears on Bob’s album, “The Gamma Project,” possesses an eerie, lingering groove and minimal structure that provide a cushion for the emcee’s lyrics; making his voice & delivery the focal point. Raw energy, aggression, and humor take precedence as the Cloud City champion warns his competition to “get their vests and run for cover, cause like bullets his bars ain’t got no names!”
7) HEEM STOGIED swam laps around the competition and held their heads under the water until they lost consciousness on his ThaGodFahim produced mega track, “LifeGuard.” The joint showcases an irresistible 70’s styled soundscape that the lyricist utilizes to get his Mack on with a revolving door of hos in his massive stable. You can feel the energy in the track and in the emcee’s delivery. When the creators of the music are having fun it easily translates to the listeners too.
8) VIC SPENCER liberates a little known track he recorded with House Shoes and sets it free for the masses with “It’s On: Pt. 2.” Vic’s rough & rugged style is on full display on the cut & let’s face it, when it comes to that hardcore Chicago ish…No one does it better!
9) L.A. producer, ONE SESSION, linked up with two winners! One is all-around underground king, PLANET ASIA, and the other is actual #TheWinners lyricist, SEAN ROSATI. Both emcees added powerful contributions to the laid back magic of “Glyders” by riding the track with the kind of prowess that demands accolades. So let’s start right here!
10) DIGGY really impressed us with his new Seige Monstrahs produced joint, “The Climate” (Freestyle). The artist’s potential was evident on early mixtapes, but he failed to capitalize on his buzz by focusing more on Pop/R&B radio oriented rap than the lyricism and gritty production that caught everyone’s attention in the first place. Hopefully this track is a good omen of things to come for his next project. Another superstar in the Simmons family is ready to emerge.
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
