It’s all about Hip Hop, and especially the appreciation of the underground, here at Insomniac Magazine. That’s why we bring you a weekly edition of the Top Ten releases that catch our attention and make you beg for more. This week a pile of dope submissions poured in out of nowhere & made it one of the most difficult selection sessions to date! But we finally narrowed down the field & compiled a list we could be proud of. Now all you have to do is sit back & enjoy. Insomniac’s Weekly Top Ten is ready for your viewing (AND LISTENING) pleasure…
1) RAPPER BIG POOH, NOTTZ, and NOVEJ teamed up for a funky track that took us down “Memory” lane & brought back that ol’ boom-bap! The dope loosie is the perfect track to whet our appetites until the release of Pooh & super producer, Nottz’s forthcoming collabo project. It’s always fun to reminisce on the good old days and see how far we’ve come…And as long as those memories produce future classics like this one, we won’t be complaining!
2) AWON & PHONIKS joined forces with NORCAL NICK on the jazz-fueled cut, “Ideology,” and had the entire staff chanting, “Make money, stop hatin’!” The smooth, “cruisin’ in my ride at 4am” styled track showcased quality Hip Hop at its finest & stands out with an especially animated performance from the artist formerly known as Swerve 916 – NorCal Nick! The lyricist’s wild delivery contrasts nicely with Awon’s laid back flow, making “Ideology” the ideal song for Hip Hop connoisseurs everywhere!
3) What more can we say about WESTSIDE GUNN & CONWAY that we haven’t already said to you a billion times before? These guys are the future! Preserving the essence of Hip Hop’s golden era while updating the sound for a new generation of listeners, Gunn & Conway always bring the heat…and it’s never more evident than on the Big Ghost Ltd produced “Rahbannga.” Listen to the way the beat drops…the sinister grooves…the immaculate flows…It’s called Hip Hop perfection! You want more? Of course you do. That’s why you’ve kept “Griselda Ghost” on repeat since the day of its release!
4) DAVE EAST has a great imagination. He sees big things in his future…Fame, fortune…Y’know, the works! The difference between Dave and other daydreamers is that he actually has the power to manifest his vision into reality & make all of his dreams come true! First off, he’s rhyming with NAS on a track. The Hip Hop legend serves as a mentor to the Harlem spitter and decided to bless the Tunesquad produced, “Forbes List,” with brilliant bars designed from the mind of a true God MC. Hearing the lyricists do what they do best inspired us to attempt a little creative visualization of our own. We might not make the Forbes List, but at least we have a theme song to give us inspiration as we continue to try.
5) New Zealand production mastermind, SOULCHEF, provided a mellow masterpiece for top tier lyricist, AWON titled “For My People.” The track sneaks up on you with a feel good vibe that incorporates a sample of children singing, while the emcee executes his flawless rhyme skills to showcase the true spirit and power of Hip Hop music.
6) GREY SWEATPANTS is one of the most impressive lyricists on the rise simply because he’s so good at being himself. He refuses to jump on any industry bandwagons & brilliantly side steps the trends of the day to focus on original and relatable material that we can all embrace. Grey perfectly illustrates this point on a graphic account of his first “raw dog” sexual experience titled “Bathroom By The Auditorium.” The track, produced by (big ‘cuz) Chuck Inglish, triggers the fear, excitement, and “Please don’t be pregnant” trepidation that is a major factor in the male rite of passage. Back in our hyper hormonal school days, teachers used to show us films about this stuff in Sex Ed class. But if we had Grey Sweatpants’ song to listen to instead, it sure would’ve been a lot more fun.
7) HUS KINGPIN wins again as he lands on the countdown with a new Grubby Pawz produced banger titled “C.R.E.A.M. Regime.” BIG TWINS brings added heat to the first cut showcased from Hus’ upcoming “House Of Kingpin” project. When you want something done right you go with a winner. Hus Kingpin always reps for The Winners crew & he NEVER lets us down!
8) DIRT DISCIPLES linked up with TORAE to give us a “Panoramic” view of the Hip Hop underground…and we liked what we saw! ROME CLIENTEL & DJ CONCEPT re-worked Raekwon & Ghostface’s “Criminology” track to make it their own and kept us captivated in the process. We know this is just the beginning of a VERY good thing because their project, “The Ambition EP,” hits listeners on October 6th!
9) When SADAT X & EL DA SENSEI decided to collaborate, expectations were high. How could they not be when you’re combining the seasoned skills of prominent forces behind legendary groups, Brand Nubian & The Artifacts? Luckily they didn’t disappoint. Billing themselves as XL(get it?)and jump starting into action with the 9th Wonder produced, “We Must Stand,”(with DJ Iron flexin’ on the 1 & 2’s), the duo demonstrated to long time listeners and brand new fans alike, that they have energy & talent to spare. Pop Rap might be getting all the air play, but we must stand for REAL Hip Hop!
10) J-LIVE wants us to “Feel This”…and oh yeah, we definitely do! The emcee didn’t just hit us over the head with his new joint…he SLAMMED us into a wall repeatedly until we had no choice but to concede that the New York lyricist is one of the best to ever bless the mic. Truthfully though, we didn’t need that much coercion. J’s talent speaks for itself. And what it’s saying is, “I’m DOPE muthaf***ers! Cop the “How Much Is Water?” album October 23rd!”
Well, that’s it for this week. Catch ya next time and…DON’T SLEEP!
– Kevin Keith
