While the snow curtailed most of the activity on the east coast, the Insomniac staff were nestled away in a secret location compiling the latest edition of Insomniac’s Weekly Top Ten. First timers & old favorites made their presence known with music that moved us – mind, body & soul. But check it out for yourself! Sit back, relax & enjoy the Top 10!
1) K-DEF joined forces with BLU, DAMU THE FUDGEMUNK & KUNAL on a track from his “The Way It Was” project and dropped a sonic treat tastier than “Strawberry Lemonade!” We felt like we were transported back to the Golden Era of the 90’s with all the lyrical jewels & glorious Boom Bap that the guys were delivering! Listen to the way familiar samples are creatively incorporated into the mix as dope rhymes invade our ear canals. It’s an experience that must be repeated over & over…so we did exactly that! We don’t know what we did to deserve this A-List treatment, but keep spoiling us…’cause we’re LOVIN’ IT!
2) SHAWN WIGS took time off from The Theodore Unit to link up with JADAKISS for an incredible collabo called “So Ill.” Anthony Acid brings home the entire extravaganza with a souled-out soundscape as the lyricists deliver top notch rhymes you’ll fervently nod your head to. “Everybody got their hand in the pot!” How can you blame us when the music sounds this good?!?
3) J57 designed a monstrous sonic masterpiece titled “Burn The Empires,” then enlisted creative BEASTS, DEEJAY ELEMENT, TENACITY, SEAN BOOG, and MEAN JOE SCHEME to make a hot track even hotter! Dope lyrics, frenetic cuts, and bangin’ beats combined together to torch those kingdoms with ease. Opposing forces must cede their authority to J57 & Co. A new superpower has arrived!
4) ANTLIVE teamed up with ROCDWELL for a bonus banger from the “Antstrumentals” project titled, “Corner Kids” and brought serious heat to the proceedings with dope flows, meaningful content and a gritty sonic backdrop that had us begging for more! Our requests will soon be answered because Ant & Roc are putting the finishing touches on what is shaping up to be a masterpiece in the making – the eagerly anticipated, “Soul Passport” EP.
5) WEST DEPHEKT can produce the hell out of a track…and we all know VEE SKEENO gets down like nobody’s business on the mic! So when the two collaborated on “WhT2Do” from the “SAGE” EP, the joint was destined to become a certified banger for the ages! Listen to how Skeeno merges with the minimalist production, riding…no, BECOMING the beat as it spills out your speakers! Wanna know what real Hip Hop is? Press play & find out!
6) ENDEMIC EMERALD brings power and authenticity to Hip Hop with every track he releases! His latest gem, “Crown Royale,” features underground emissaries, RUSTE JUXX, KASIM ALLAH & TOP NOTCH spitting the kind of lyrical fire that can melt a New York winter & transform it into summertime in Miami! When we say these artists go IN, it’s not a throwaway line. Endemic Emerald associates himself with the best…and these talents pull out all stops to deliver a win!
7) Seattle’s RIPYNT & CARL ROE joined forces with LANDON WORDSWELL to “Rock Bars” for the underground! The Brainstorm produced banger contains over 4 minutes of lyrical fury from heavy-hitters who devour mics and stomp across concert stages while terrorizing your favorite emcees. If you see them in your neighborhood tread lightly. These mic master are nothin’ to f**k wit’!
8) MONDAY/FRIDAY enlisted J-LIVE & SUPASTITION for a funky collabo from the duo’s “Time And A Half” EP called “Never Heard.” Soul-drenched grooves mesh perfectly with first class rhymes from skilled lyricists with enough years in the trenches to school the newbies on how it’s really done! Wannabes talk this & that, but it’s all laughable. Let’s face it, no one ever heard of y’all!
9) IVAN AVE isn’t being humble about showcasing the fact his forthcoming “Helping Hands” LP will be a major highlight of 2016. The Jakarta Records signee blew us away with “Obedience” & now Norway’s soul-spitter repeats that action by dropping “The Circle.” Mndsgn is back on production duty of course(with the kind of serious heat he consistently delivers you don’t need anyone else!!!)& once again we’re exposed to grooves and rhymes that mesh so well, it’s mind-boggling to believe they actually exist. We f**k heavily with Ivan & Mndsgn material. Listen to their catalog and you will too!
10) NONAME GYPSY always soars through tracks with an ethereal, majestic vibe that give her an otherworldly presence. The lyricist’s latest gem,” All I Need,”(ft. SPZRKT) revolves around what she wants in a man. Creative visualization is the key here…and if her potential mate doesn’t live up to her standards, he can step off. Saba, THEMpeople, and Phoelix all play a major role in stellar production on a gem that acts as the perfect lead-in to her forthcoming album, “Telefone.”
Well that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
