Big K.R.I.T.: "American Rapstar"
Here goes K.R.I.T.'s second offering off of his upcoming Returnof4Eva. The Southern MC rhymes over a soulful beat made by his own two hands; he is indeed a dual threat. The smooth beat runs well behind Big K.R.I.T.'s intelligent critique of the rap industry, starting the song by saying "An A&R once told me that you can determine the worth of the song within 15 seconds of it playing, with complete and utter lack that it takes all three minutes and forty seconds to comprehend what I'm sayin". Big K.R.I.T. is one of my favorite artists on the rise right now. He had a huge year in 2010, releasing K.R.I.T. Wuz Here and earning a spot on XXL's Freshman 11. K.R.I.T.'s wordplay examines society artfully in every song and in "American Rapstar" he spotlights the flaws that plague the 'Rapstar' in America. A great track, full of soul and heavy on substance, download and listen to it after the jump.
Dela: "WhatUWanna" feat. Blu
Dela's funky, soulful, and jazzy beats sound perfect for Blu to flow over and surprise, they are. The song is dope to say the least, production wise and lyricism, and sounds like much of the other material that Blu is featured on. The French producer Dela is a name that you might not know, but don't doubt his ability. He has worked in association with production legends 9th Wonder, Illmind, and Nicolay, certainly an impressive resume. Listen to the track and grab the download after the jump.
Rockie Fresh: "So Gone Based Remix" feat. Lil B
So we previewed this track last week after Rockie unveiled it at his performance at the Gift Raps album release party. The Based God jumps on Rockie's "So Gone" off of The Otherside. The feature is fitting with Lil B's signature slur fitting well with the title and subject matter. This track is the first released off of The Otherside Redux, which will feature multiple remixes from the original and a few new tracks. The release date for the project isn't known, but keep your eyes out, Rockie's on the move. Listen and grab the track after the jump.
Supreme x Vans: 2011 Spring Old Skool
Vans and Supreme release a new style together nearly every season and the first views of the Spring/Summer 2011 versions are here. The Old Skool model was chosen again and is represented in some very very dope colors this season. Each shoe melds a mesh upper with a suede toe and leather detailing. There are six different color combinations, yellow and blue, blue and orange, black on black, navy and white, gray and purple, and white and red. Two of the six are very vibrant and eye catching, the other four being more muted, but all the colors work well together. A quality product that lives up to the high expectations that Supreme and Vans have held themselves to in the past. The shoes will be available online and in-store on March 17th, and if your currently in Japan, hope you are alright and look for these on the 19th. Check out more photos at Supreme.
Dom Kennedy: The Original Dom Kennedy
Finally the long awaited new project by Dom Kennedy is here. The Original Dom Kennedy contains 12 personally crafted, smooth and silky songs, all From The West Side With Love. Dom had leaked no material from the project, and only announced the release date yesterday. The wait and silence allowed him the time needed to expertly polish the album to a shine. This is made even more impressive by the fact that Dom handled 11 of the 12 tracks alone. Casey Veggies and cARTer are featured on the track "CDC" (Casey Dom Carter), which bangs with a rumbling beat and fast pace. "CDC" shows only one side of Dom's lyrical ability. On other songs such as "N**GA For Life" you'll hear Dom slow it down over a more melodic beat. This album see's DK swerve through many styles and should serve as yet another reminder of how populated the West Coast is with talented MC's. Maybe one of the coolest features is the individual album covers. Each track gets its own special artwork, and all are presented cleanly with the signature suave and near perfection that embodies the whole album. Good looks to Dom Kennedy and his camp for this drop, download it after the jump.
[Video] Rockie Fresh: Preview "So Gone Remix" featuring Lil B The Based God
What a coincidence that this just happens to show up right after posting Lil B's new "Base For Your Face" and Rockie's Life On The Otherside Episode 1. The video is from Chip Tha Ripper's Gift Raps album release party where Rockie performed backed by a live band. The song will be featured on Rockie's upcoming The Otherside Redux, which will feature multiple remixed tracks from the initial Otherside release, along with a few new bonus tracks. This track will drop next Monday, so keep your eyes posted and check the video after the jump.
[Video] Ash Bolland: Viva 'Fire'
Check out this dope short, coming as the second entry in director Ash Bolland's Viva series. The short shows off his impressive style in shot selection, visual effects, and musical taste. Ash Bolland hails from New Zealand and is the co-owner of Umeric Studios, which specializes in film, design and visual effects. The eye catching fire looks great and the heart-pumping electro drops at the perfect moment. Check the video after the jump and also check out the Viva 'Crash' short.
[Video] Aleon Craft: "Look Twice" (prod. SMKA)
Atlanta/Outerspace native Aleon Craft presents us with the first video off of Mothership Decatur, set to drop this April. The video accompanies the first and only leak off of the album, and while it is quite short it gets me excited for the Southern MC's newest project. Aleon Craft was once a part of Da Backwudz but the group broke apart after releasing only one album. Now he is blessing our ears with music that sounds other-worldly. Keep an eye out for Mothership Decatur and check out the video after the jump.