Don’t Sleep On These New Releases
Insomniac Magazine ignites the underground with new audio heat for the Weekly Top Ten! Gear up for action & tap in below!!!
1) DARK ARTS takes over the top spot with a sinister sizzler featuring immaculate bars from SNOTTY x JAMIL HONESTY AND a turntable tour de force from DJ GRAZZHOPPA! “Shadow Wars” supplies an ominous assemblage of rhythms & rhymes that will attach itself to the core of your very essence. There’s nowhere to run when the crew come to town. They’re mic assassins who murder MCs at night!
2) ASUN EASTWOOD & ASHTON FRANCIS triumphantly skate across a BENJITHESECOND laced soundscape on the soulful heater “Iceberg Slim!” The Wizards of Wordplay waste no time diving into the funky arrangement & elevate the proceedings with two distinct styles that mesh perfectly on the track. This is true Hip Hop in all its glory & the entire underground can soak up every second!
3) CHE NOIR, JA’KING THE DIVINE & JAMAR JOHNSON had us praising the Hip Hop gods for their very existence when we hit PLAY on “MF DOOM MASK!!!” Suddenly we were transported to a cruel, dark & FAMILIAR world where the streets straight jacked our s**t! The crazy part is everyone there looked like the legendary metal-faced villain!!! Instead of helping us, Che & Ja kept spittin’ that boom bap while Jamar busted us upside the head with a beat! When we woke up our fat pockets were empty but damn, we couldn’t help but feel good!
4) STATIK SELEKTAH, RANSOM & AZ bring something truly “Historic” to the masses! This colossal collabo comes courtesy of the “Round Trip” compilation that’s currently heating up the industry…and with good reason, because every cut’s a winner! The selection below is monumental for uniting a modern day rhyme titan with a legendary lyricist who only appears on projects worthy of his stature. The super producer made sure his opus would stand the test of time. Statik supplies heavy replay value for a track that will be remembered as a classic!
5) RIM flexes his “Verse Ability” on a phenomenal J. BEERS powered banger called “Ballantine X!” The power spitter veers between a smooth and aggressive flow(dictated by the track)which results in the first solid smash of the summer season! Just remember to stay grounded when ya get fly & no one on the planet will be able to stop you!
6) THE MUSALINI & PETE ROCK are sitting court side with 9TH WONDER to drop brand new heat called “Carmel City 2!” It’s not hard to see why the trio will be doing numbers all summer. And when you possess this level of talent who could stand in their way? Mus & Pete sizzle on the mic with captivating bars while 9th provides a full blast of sonic exhilaration!
7) CONWAY THE MACHINE, GOOSEBYTHEWAY & SK DA KING join forces with HEEM x ROME STREETZ for a MR. AUTHENTIC seared sizzler called “Elephant Man!” The lyricists are in complete heavyweight mode, delivering KOs to every MC in sight! It’s a literal bloodbath for the opposition with the Drumworks Music Group being the last crew standing!
8) DJ QTER & RUSTE JUXX drop a nefarious audio explosive that made us “Root For The Villain” & take up a life of crime! Don’t panic though because the BK bar slayer is only killing the competition…so you’ll be able to check out the track from the safety of your own home! Whenever you hear a surefire heater like this ya have to play it back & we did a multitude of times! The rhymes on the joint are ultra creative & the production from Qter is astounding!
9) WAIS P dips into his storytelling bag & tells fans about a misadventure out of town on a DAME GREASE laced gem titled “Dolo From State To State!” The sign of a great lyricist is when listeners can visualize every detail of their colorful narratives…and this story in particular showcases the MC’s unimaginable artistry. No spoilers here so go listen to the cinematic selection expertly scored by Dame the composer!
10) K. BURNS & MARK DARK get the crowd animated with a “SCARTOON” sizzler featuring DJ DUBPLATES & The Umbrella’s very own MICKEY DIAMOND!!! “Precious Gems” begins with carefully crafted laid back lyricism from Uncle Burnie before Mickey absorbs all the energy in the booth then exhales lava onto the mic! You can keep your polished stones & shiny baubles…but the real precious gems are the venomous verses on the track!
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
