Don’t Sleep On These New Releases
Insomniac Magazine returns with another action-packed countdown for the underground!!! Gear up for adventure & tap in to the Weekly Top Ten!
1) It’s a BLACK SOPRANO FAMILY takeover as BENNY THE BUTCHER, ELCAMINO, RICK HYDE & HEEM dominate the set on “We Here!” The supreme flows & top quality bars showcase the star power emanating from the B$F collective with Rick also heating up s**t behind the boards! Black Soprano Family’s the new administration & true heads love the direction Hip Hop’s taken under their regime!
2) Y’all thought you were sayin’ s**t “but your bars is ass!!!” BUN B & STATIK SELEKTAH destroy all competitors by unleashing the beast & enlisting mic savages NEMS & PAPOOSE for an unfiltered lyrical attack on “Every Hour!” The “Trillstatik 2” sonic sizzler delivers raw & relentless rhyme steez over a seriously funky beat that’s simply unforgettable! The only thing you need to know is that this team is unstoppable. Play this joint every second, every minute, every hour!!!
3) BOBBY J FROM ROCKAWAY incinerates all imitators while J57 goes for the jugular as they rip rhymes on the NEF laced explosive “From The Jump!” This a high energy joint designed for the streets that you’ll most definitely be keepin’ on REPEAT! They made it to the summit from the basement so look to them for inspiration. From The Jump, listeners can expect a good time!
4) RANSOM & V DON link up with LLOYD BANKS for a slow burning “Chaos Is My Ladder” sizzler called “Short Notice!” The ill wordplay & colossal cadences mesh perfectly with V Don’s dramatic score to highlight a cut that lingers long after the soul-rousing fade out. It’s a transformative track that’ll manifest the champion from within. Fight for what you believe when your back’s against the wall!
5) APATHY & STU BANGAS team up with BLACK THOUGHT for a joint so sonically filthy it’s f**kin’ “Disgusting!!!” The “King Of Gods. No Second” mega blast contains some warped a-ha acapellas, a funky ass groove, and dope lyrics galore!!! This is one of those cuts you need to rewind a few times to catch all the bar brilliance you might’ve missed on the first listen! Salute to Ap, Stu & Thought. This is Hip Hop music at its finest!!!
6) The ultra-talented TEAM DEMO lace mic assassin MONTAGE ONE & rhyme warrior WAIS P with a MONSTROUS mega blast of production for the high-powered banger “Blap!” A compelling piano arrangement adorns the heavyweight soundscape with so much rhythmic funk it should be outlawed!!! The rhyme slayers take suckers to task when they step in the booth & spray the opps with lyrical artillery!!!
7) CORMEGA shares a compelling tale of “Life And Rhymes” as he recounts observations from his very own extraordinary existence over an immaculately laced LARGE PROFESSOR arrangement. “The Realness II” triumph possesses a dreamlike quality incredibly fitting for a track that revolves around the lyricist’s most vivid memories. Harsh lessons from the past served as a learning curve for the future. Cormega prospers while never forgetting all those who failed.
8) Power spitters JAY ROYALE & HAVOC(of MOBB DEEP)launch into a raw lyrical onslaught while reminding listeners they’re just a product of their environment! On “The Wise & Lakid,” RAY SOSA complements the duo’s clever rhyme schemes with an understated soundscape that somehow heightens the dramatic tension! Fans will get the vibe that someone shady’s creepin’ around the corner; waitin’ for ANY chance to strike!
9) KOOL G RAP’s “It’s A Demo” classic gets resurrected & revamped for an iconic meeting of the minds with GRANDMASTER CAZ, DOO WOP & MARLEY MARL! The DOMINGO crafted “Born N Raised” takes us back to a time when you HAD TO BE a lyrical KING to compete with other crews & no bitin’ was allowed! This is that rawness we need LOTS more of today & sure enough, this team brings it back it life!!!
10) CYDNEY POITIER & SHABAAM SAHDEEQ regale listeners with dope adult contemporary fly s**t on a SOUL LXRD laced sizzler called “Paris Blues!” The ‘beasts with the hustle’ serve up stellar rhymes & flows over a supreme loop that conjures images of a 1920’s jazz club. This is grown man music brilliantly crafted & delivered featuring two underground powerhouses in their prime!
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
