Insomniac Magazine returns with another action-packed countdown overflowing with dope sounds from the underground! We don’t need to run off at the mouth. The music speaks for itself. Sit back, relax, and PRESS PLAY!
1) DAVID BANNER polished off another “God Box” gem and delivered it gift wrapped with next level lyricism from BLACK THOUGHT & soulful vocals from WATCHTHEDUCK! The THX produced “Who Want It” finds the power players in peak form as Tarik Trotter hulks out with gamma radiated bars before turning to David Banner who ponders what REALLY happened to Chris Lighty & Prince. He sees the demons lurking beneath the surface and is more than ready to take ’em on! Don’t f**k wit’ the crew!
2) ASUN EASTWOOD doesn’t just have a great work ethic…He also has dope lyrics! And yes, plenty are on display in the Ynot laced masterwork, “Same Hustle.” Asun performs another champion round of verbal acrobatics over soul-drenched Boom Bap to showcase something we already know…he’s one of the best! Spitters like this deserve a ton of accolades & plaques. The latter are coming soon but we’ll begin the honors with a top slot on the chart!
3) ESTEE NACK had so many bangers on his “MiniMansionDust” project that it was difficult to choose one over another for our list! Ultimately we decided on the supreme collabo track, “Craft Beers,” that featured Hip Hop’s underground elite – CODENINE, AL.DIVINO, SEAN ROSATI & CHRONIC TONE. Mr. Rose produced the Boom Bap wet dream that inspired the lyrical heroes to spit rhymes other emcees don’t possess the imagination to conceive! ‘Preface this with a hypothesis’ and check out the sonic phenomenon below!
4) Critics love to lump artists like SHOW & AG under the tried & true ‘old school’ banner. Obviously those same critics haven’t been listening to the Diggin’ In The Crates duo’s latest output because there’s nothing dated about the ROC MARCIANO & JOHN ROBINSON featured banger, “Live W/ Show & AG.” Then again, top notch lyrical skills & dope beats you can’t get out of your head are quickly become a thing of the past…which means old’s all about music you can trust…while new is just an embarrassment. DITC rock on!
5) Can you imagine what it must feel like to win all the time? For lyrical juggernaut, SMOOVTH, that feeling’s a reality! The Doktor Rheal laced “Catastrophe” finds #TheWinners spitter connecting with the listeners on the highest level as he drops a series of rewind-worthy bars with casual flair. You never see him break a sweat but his rhyme schemes are so complex!
6) FREEWAY & DAVE EAST “Hold The Fort Down” over DJ Skizz’s irresistible sonic terrain and make us feel instant regret for any challengers who decide to go to war! This is the kind of heat that can’t be stopped. It’s an anthem for the hustlas that shouldn’t just be listened to…it should be LIVED!
7) NOWAAH THE FLOOD teamed up with producer EYEDEE to take listeners into the ghettoes of hell on “Kill Or Be Killed.” No one details the intensity of the streets better than the gritty lyricist & once again, he rises to the challenge with a supreme offering to hungry Hip Hop Heads dying for the latest heat. Kill or be Killed…It’s the motto of the streets. But we know Nowaah will live to see another day!
8) ALIANO x JAKK WONDERS have ALWAYS been light years ahead of everyone else. I mean these are the guys who recorded a tribute track called “Charlie Murphy” a full month before his untimely passing! Being that advanced gives them unique insight into what the streets demand…and sure enough they give us exactly what we want on “Out For They Own.” It’s a lyrical assault complemented by breath-taking Boom Bap production you won’t find anywhere else. Peer into the future and one thing remains the same…Aliano & Jakk Wonders are still the kings of the underground!
9) True heads already know that RECOGNIZE ALI & GIALLO POINT reign supreme as separate entities. Now that they’ve decided to join forces for an entire project called “Back 2 Mecca,” expect more high quality Hip Hop to invade the airwaves & stomp out everything else in its path! “Gold Pen Assassin” is the first clip in the gat to be released & it’s as deadly as it sounds! The illest lyrics combined with production & cuts from a Crate Divizion kingpin equal dope music!
10) They should’ve never doubted the clout of Iowa’s lyrical sensation, BEN ILLA, & Lincoln, Nebraska’s super spitter, HAKIM. On the supremely laced Pitthakid banger, “Wanna Be Down,” the rising emcees flaunt impressive mic skills over a golden era inspired sonic backdrop with a new school twist. Check the immortal flows & get down wit’ the duo below!
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
