Don’t Sleep On These New Releases
Insomniac Magazine is back with a full list of unforgettable underground hits! Get set for Weekly Top Ten action & tap in below!
1) We thought DJ KAY SLAY did the impossible when he gathered 50 MCs on a track in 2020. Well now he’s upped the ante (AND THEN SOME) in 2021 cause he’s “Rolling 110 Deep!!!” The TRACKATEERING MUSIC powered nuclear explosive serves as a historical meeting of the mics that bridges the gap between Old School and New School spitters with KOOL DJ RED ALERT wisely being selected as midpoint intermediary between the eras. EVERYONE on this joint rips apart the sonic framework with BLACK THOUGHT, CONWAY, PAPOOSE, RANSOM, KRS-ONE, RJ PAYNE, LOADED LUX, TREACH, MELLE MEL, TRAGEDY, GHOSTFACE KILLAH (who’s so ill he attacks the set twice) and RAS KASS making exceptionally strong showings. Fallen mic phenomenon FRED THE GODSON makes a posthumous appearance while Raptheletes get represented with ROY JONES JR, RON ARTEST, and even SHAQ returning to drop bars like he did in the 90’s! The acting world also gets major shine with OMAR EPPS flexing his ol’ Wolfpack flow! We get MAJOR surprises in the form of PT CAPONE(that’s dat REAL “Paid In Full” s**t…Do your homework!!!) and the EXTREMELY welcome return of SUPER (muthaf***in’) LOVER CEE (what’cha know about that?!!?), plus pure comedy/high quality bars from STICKY FINGAZ & UNCLE MURDA who’s straight up HILARIOUS!!! This is everything we could wish for in a track & our dreams have now been fulfilled. Bow down to the gods of Hip Hop & give Kay Slay his “Accolades!!!”
2) We all knew that EVIDENCE wouldn’t let us down with the release of his new platter “Unlearning Vol. 1.” The MC/Production powerhouse is representative of everything that’s RIGHT about the underground and he’s a permanent fixture of a scene that values authenticity over the bells & whistles of the industry. On a track that will one day be referred to as ‘that time two icons shut s**t down,’ CONWAY THE MACHINE joins in on the action with “Moving On Up!” DARINGER mans the boards during this exciting adventure & tosses listeners an unexpected curve ball for the occasion. Instead of the grimy trademark arrangements we’ve grown accustomed to, the beat warrior supplies a supremely funky soundscape with a jazzy swing. It sounds like a live jam session for their closest friends. Feel lucky that you received an invitation!
3) “Once Upon The Time” VIC SPENCER & MIL BEATS dropped the first single from their “Brainstem Factory” project & it was so dope we had to get it on the countdown! The King of Living kicks off the track by saying he “ain’t playin’ no games”…and y’all BEST to believe him!!! The ill sizzler showcases Vic in animated storyteller mode as he recounts memories of Sean P, the fickleness of the music industry, and the unyielding ambition that drives him to succeed! Mil matches his bars with an electrifying audio arrangement while DJ DJAZ crafts cuts that bring us to the finish line!
4) Heavyweight brothas might need love but they sure ain’t lackin’ for bars!!! BFB DA PACKMAN finesses the mic by utilizing an uproariously ill rhyme technique while breakin’ bread with omnipresent underground king BENNY THE BUTCHER! “Frenchmen” is admittedly some left field s**t that snuffed us from behind! We saw the artwork & got our chuckle on; then heard the track & got swallowed up in the euphoria!!! If you’re lookin’ for a musical feast tap in muthaf***as!!! The Lunch Crew’s in full effect & the underground’s eatin’!!!
5) The first lesson for any aspiring rapper is to be aware that the industry is overflowing with “Culebras!” They try to appear unassuming and slither right next to you then STRIKE at the time you least expect it! CRIMEAPPLE is here to help y’all though. He gives his listeners fair warning about what’s to come, watches you fall into the pit, then laughs at your unabashed stupidity! BUCK DUDLEY delivers the sonic venom for your downfall. It’s a “YDFWC?2” joint that will follow you to the grave!
6) FLU & an all-star roster of producers(HOBGOBLIN, FARMA BEATS, TIMEPIECE, BOHEMIA LYNCH)surprise fans with a superb new platter called “Lupara!” One stellar highlight from the project is the serious sizzler “Rabbia Estrema,” featuring ALL HAIL Y.T. & SUBSTANCE810! As soon as listeners PRESS PLAY they’ll feel like they’ve been transported to an otherworldly dimension where the only currency that counts consists of the quality of your bars! Enter the terrain of 2 mic gods & you’re destined to be defeated! Ya thought you had what it takes. Now watch those dreams end!
7) If you’re a member of F.E.B. (FOUR ELEMENTS & BEYOND), rippin’ the mic is “Lightwork!” Propelled by earth-shattering FREAK THA MONSTA production, top of the line rhymes are launched throughout the universe to alert all celestial entities that the underground’s erupting!!! Pack your bags & prepare for liftoff. The lyrical champs are out of this world!!!
8) URBAN SPORTSMAN duo L.I.F.E. LONG x FATCATHAYZE 156 drop supreme heat featuring dope cuts by DJ FRED ONES! “Recollect” finds Liggy flexin’ mad lyrical skills as he supplies superior stream of consciousness flows over HAYZE’s rugged audio landscape! The rhyme slayer playfully dances around the high-powered production and demonstrates true poetry in motion!
9) ASUN EASTWOOD & DANKERY HARV take us high above the clouds on a NAVI THE NORTH crafted heat rock called “Powder Coat!” A dizzying, hallucinogenic arrangement of sonic elation awaits as the mic mercenaries cleverly contradict the tone with savage tales of the streets! This is that “Beam Me Up Scotty” underground steez we stay feenin’ for. Get your cocaine, crack flows with a side of dope beats to go!
10) Sit in the middle of the room surrounded by candles for this one because CHUCK N LOCK are straight up channeling ancient spirits on the ECTO-84 laced sonic seance “Flying Dutchman!” The daring duo push their artistry to the outer limits of expression with Ecto’s understated production serving as the only tie that binds them to reality. A treasure trove of gems spill out across your consciousness & some will even go over your head. But one thing’s for sure, you won’t be the same after listening. Enjoy your voyage to The Other Side.
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
