Don’t Sleep On These New Releases
Where can you find the best bar slayers & beat makers in the biz? On Insomniac Magazine’s Weekly Top Ten! Get set for action & tap in below!!!
1) “Tana Talk 4” was everything fans wanted AND MORE!!! In a climate where MCs fall off after one album, BENNY THE BUTCHER continues to reign supreme with no foreseeable decline on the horizon! In fact, what we DO see is a future marked with conquests & triumphs like the sonic stunner called “Super Plug!” Benny gets his Brian Boitano on by skating across THE ALCHEMIST laced extravaganza with such precision that he’ll make you forget other rappers exist!!! The content, wordplay, and hypnotically compelling groove coalesce into what can only be described as pure magic. He “keeps it real in everything he do!” Gotdamn right about that. It’s authentic audio heat for the ages!!!
2) JAE SKEESE has been quietly building up his sonic resume but NOW’s the time for him to explode!!! On the FLEE LORD & CONWAY featured banger “Against Tha Grain,” the tantalizing trio bring terror to the competition on CEE GEE crafted audio opulence!!! The “Iroquois Pliskin” power gem is noteworthy for its moody(almost dreamlike)backdrop steeped in a hardcore aesthetic that matches perfectly with the bars! Three distinct styles on a joint don’t always add up to excellence. But this track’s a clear victory lap for all involved!
3) CRIMEAPPLE is back in the “Top 5!!!” And after listening to this JAFET MUZIC & DJ TMB featured banger you’ll know exactly why!!! DR G & KILLEN DAFOE are the behind the boards beasts for sonic savagery unlike any other as mics get ripped, turntables get shredded, and speakers instantly shatter from the high-powered impact! They don’t make dope joints like this everyday so absorb all ya can & pump up the volume!!!
4) “Smoke” can mean many things. You can bring it or you can watch your career go up in it. KXNG CROOKED & JOELL ORTIZ have been on the winning side of the equation as celebrated lyricists and on the losing side of the industry with the collapse of Slaughterhouse. This DJ SILK laced sizzler takes us into the inner torment & tumultuous times…but also reminds us that Crook & Joell are still standing victorious! There’s a lesson to be learned & it all begins with listening. Keep this joint on REPEAT and never lose hope when times are hard!
5) METHOD MAN ain’t about to relinquish his lyrical crown but he’s always willing to share with a worthy power spitter on the rise! That being said, there’s no MC more deserving of the honor than the magnificent RJ PAYNE! The latter lyricist’s bars are so deadly that rivals get nightmares every time he rhymes! That makes him the perfect partner-in-prose for an ill joint called “Butterfly Effect!” Meth finesses the booth with sharp skills that NEVER dulled as he rose to mainstream fame. RJ matches him bar for bar while stringing puppet punks along like Geppetto every step of the way!!!
6) Trying to choose the better MC in a debate about BENNY & CONWAY is like a parent trying to choose their favorite child. You love ’em both, they each have unique qualities, and in the end it really doesn’t f**kin’ matter! “Tyson vs. Ali” addresses the conversation and reminds the listeners, “Muthaf**ka we’re on the same team!!!” DARINGER supplies solid sonic steez while the GxFR champions express their mutual appreciation. Money’s always great but THIS is family!!!
7) SLIK JACK x DAN.AKIL delivered stellar sneak attack steez in the form of their ill platter “Full Course!!!” On the TONY TRANG featured gem “No effort, No Pressure,” listeners are instantly hit with a mega blast of boom bap, raw bars, and breathless turntable sorcery! This joint is as funky as it gets! Where did REAL Hip Hop go? You can find it right here!
8) BENNY & WESTSIDE GUNN steal the show on BEAT BUTCHA & DARINGER laced heat called “Guerrero!” Certain artists possess chemistry together but the type of alchemy the GXFR clan possess is off the charts unbelievable! If you’re looking for an example of why they’re carrying the underground on their back tap in to the heat below!!!
9) “The Killa Bee Legacy” lives on as REMEDY, TRIFE DIESEL & SOLOMON CHILDS dominate the set with “Greatness!” DANNY CAIAZZO provides the earth-shaking arrangement that prompts the MCs into action as glorious moments of Wu-Tang Clan & their affiliates are recalled & revisited! The path has been blazed leaving room for all to follow. But only the strong will survive!!!
10) HIM LO x WINO WILLY linked up with GRAND SCHEME & CLEVER ONE for a heavy heater called “Freeze Tag!” We had to conclude the countdown on a high note & these mic titans delivered the coveted chart closer we were all waitin’ for! Hard beats & rhymes that will definitely stand the test of time! When it comes to the underground ya can’t get any better!!!
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
