Insomniacs, have no fear. Your Weekly Top Ten is here! As usual, we’re bringing you the cream of the crop for our latest countdown. Underground heroes, established artists, and superstars of tomorrow all get some shine. So stop trying to guess who made the cut & read the list instead. Your journey begins NOW!
1) Michigan’s music mastermind, APOLLO BROWN, enlisted lyrical powerhouses, WESTSIDE GUNN & PLANET ASIA for the explosive, “Triple Beams,” from his forthcoming “Grandeur” album and once again demonstrated what REAL Hip Hop is all about! Soul pours out of the gritty cut while Gunn and Asia bring the supreme delivery and wordplay that garners everlasting respect from the underground. If you want Pop Rap, turn away now. “Triple Beams” brings the raw essence of Hip Hop to the forefront. We wouldn’t have it any other way!
2) Long Island’s TYP-ILL is linking up with Statik Selektah for a collabo album called “Veteran’s Day,” and the first single from the project is the compelling, “Typ Statik.” Frantic, high-powered beats and rhythms merge with energized rhymes that propel the track forward with a sonic force few artists can ever hope to achieve. We haven’t received word on an official release date for the album, but whenever “Veteran’s Day” drops, we’ll be right there waiting!
3) GRAND OFFICIAL seemed to appear out of nowhere! Their track, “Show & Prove”(on the brand new Canis Phylum label)was packaged with another cut called “The Stand,” and both were so dope that it was a coin toss as to which one would make the Top Ten. “Show & Prove” won out by the tiniest margin with it’s lyrical assault by Abadose & Adlife, hardcore production from Grip, and turntable mastery courtesy of DJ Hallucin8. This is just the beginning for the group AND the label. We pulled out our Hip Hop crystal ball and witnessed a VERY bright future for these newcomers to the scene who sound like old pros in the Hip Hop arena.
4) We traveled with THE VOYAGERS to yet another sonic wonderland of earth-shattering beats and rhymes. “Vicious” lives up to its name with aggressive lyrics and a J. Demers produced soundscape inspired by the classic 90’s Hip Hop sound. To mix things up, J also throws in warped sound effects that make the listeners feel like they’re tripping on some new kind of hallucinogenic. That’s not too far off. If any group will open up your consciousness and elevate your mind, it’s The Voyagers.
5) MAC MILLER is back on the list to certify that his “GO:OD AM” album will be the ish! “Clubhouse” is a smooth player’s anthem that finds our favorite “Fisherman” riding a silky groove that will garner him accolades in both underground and mainstream circles. We still can’t pinpoint the exact time and date of when all of this fire started spilling out of his pores…but we’re certainly not complaining!
6) FORTES creates so much dope music on a regular basis that it’s always hard to choose which track stands out among the rest. After much deliberation we selected the APOB produced “Lonely Is Lovely.” The groove is irresistible & the way the emcee/producer flows on the track is pure perfection. The lyricist even treats us to some smooth harmonizing on the chorus. Fortes excels at everything he touches. We know you wanna be like him…but it’s time to face the truth. You’re just not worthy.
7) STRO is a telepath. We know this because he read our minds and put all of our thoughts about the current state of Hip Hop into a song. The Platinum Pat produced “Skrrr” is a scathing indictment of a culture that transformed from one we loved & respected to a clown show where we shake our heads in disbelief and disappointment. Platinum Pat provides the perfect minimalist soundscape for Stro to deliver his observations. He doesn’t bite his tongue and the message is powerful. It’s one that radio, the industry, and true fans of Hip Hop would be wise to embrace.
8) A.K. slid in at the last minute & bumped another contender off the chart with his latest banger, “Don’t Let Em” (FT. KYNDALE). The Chicago spitter has consistently caught our attention because he always has something to say and says it damn well! On his latest cut, the emcee contemplates his origins in the industry and his vision for the future. “That grind don’t stop.” A.K. is sure to come out on top!
9) East Harlem’s YOUNG TWIZZY realized it “was time to let go of the block” on the sobering track, “Young Forever.” The cut documents the artist’s maturity and aspirations for a better life outside of the hood over a mellow, yet uplifting soundscape. Twizzy’s daily grind isn’t an easy one by any means…but with his talent and persistence he’ll achieve his dreams and rise to the top!
10) Canada’s MOKA ONLY has always been one of the most slept on artists in Hip Hop. However, his relative anonymity on the mainstream radar hasn’t stopped him from creating years of great music. The lyricist’s high standard of quality continues on his latest project, “Magickal Weirdness.” “We Never Think” is a selection from the album that conjures up a feeling of reflection. It made us reflect on how dope Moka’s music was when we first heard it in 1995 and how it continues to be just as amazing 20 years later.
Well, that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
