ShowYouSuck: "Watching Walking Dead Episodes 3, 4, 5"
There are few artists in hip-hop or otherwise who have a more full-stocked pop-culture lexicon than Chicago's own ShowYouSuck. The owner of one of the most exciting rap shows there is today, Show has rapped about everything from Big Gulps, clam chowder and decades old mammary glands and today returned to one of his favorite topics in the TV show "The Walking Dead" with three new installments of the ongoing series produced by Tha Hydrox. The latest episodes are distinguished by beat changes, each change indicates the beginning of the next episode. ShowYouSuck follows up a strong end to 2013 by reminding us of the everyman spirit that make ShowYouSuck's music so endearing and fun at the same time. Check out the latest, "Watching Walking Dead" episodes 3, 4 & 5 streaming below.
#100Trill: "Sharkeisha" (Feat. Weasel Sims)
Today, we have the latest from the duo of producer Mike Jaxx and rapper Grade Aplus, together known as #100Trill. The pair keep us busy, with music coming seemingly every week and the constant practice certainly pays off on their latest track, "Sharkeisha" featuring Weasel Sims. In talking about the record, Jaxx said, "Basically, this record is just me and my homies having fun and my guys Weasel Sims said it made him relapse super heavy." We'll have to wait for more clarification on the second half of that, but "Sharkeisha" is most definitely worth a listen, featuring a certain Migos-inspired ad-lib and cadence at points. The track is also the first single off #100Trill's upcoming project, Muzik 2 Check Yo Bitch To, tentatively slated for an appropriate Valentine's Day release. Check out "Sharkeisha" below.
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[Mixtape] Doc Da MindBenda: "Welcome To The Grindhouse"
You might not have heard of the Grindhouse yet, but you've most likely have heard music from the Grindhouse. The house that Doc Da Minbenda built has seen a vast majority of Chicago's best emcees come through and record at the studio, building up a highly-respected reputation and relationships that go way beyond the music. Inspired by RZA, Doc spent almost two years crafting a true local opus by gathering both legendary and up-and-coming acts, supplying them with hot instrumentals and putting it all together for a true showcase of all the talent brewing in the city. Akbar, Pugs Atomz, Psalm One, Griff, GLC, Treated Crew, SaveMoney, ProbCause, Legion Of Dudes, Martin $ky, Pavy, Onis and many more are featured in Welcome To The Grindhouse, available for free download below.
[Video] Nick Astro: "ANIMALs"
Super16 is coming out soon... really, really soon. However, is that enough for the young Chicago rapper, Nicholas Astronomical (my nickname, not his)? Of course not. Not one to just sit and relax, even as his next huge project is entering the final stages before release, Nick Astro recently recorded a song over Outkast's "Elevator." Titled, "ANIMALs," the song is a freestyle in response to how people react to different circumstances. Are we animals? Nick takes a socially-conscious look at the question.
The video, shot by myself and directed/edited by Nick Astro, is a lightly-edited and warm-filtered focus on Nick Astro go in on topics like drugs and alcohol, hypocrisies in ideologies, unprovoked violence, and more. "ANIMALs" is a loosie that probably won't be on Super16, yet it's exactly the spur of the moment track that shows that Nick Astro is preparing some extra stuff outside of Super16, too.
http://youtu.be/_6PWeiGvb6g
[RH Premiere] Cadillac Duke: "Know" (prod. by Khalfani)
"All I want to is to know know know know know know what it is you want to know know know know" raps the LOD rapper, Cadillac Duke. What I want to know (know know know) is when we can get some more from the Chicago implant originally from the mean streets of Flint, Michigan. Four months after his debut EP, FVCK$KVLLS, Caddy answers back with "Know," produced by Impolite Society's Khalfani.
While FVCK$KVLLS hinted at some of Caddy's past, "Know" delves a bit deeper into some of the demons that he faced a lifetime ago. Privately, Caddy and I have spoken a bit about his past, and the stories he has to share, if he ever decides to go down that path, would craft an interesting narrative that shapes and shares exactly who Cadillac Duke is. This lyrical appetizer is paired very well with a haunting beat by Khalfani that a perfectly complements Caddy's bars.
"Know" should serve as a sample of what to expect out of Cadillac Duke in the months ahead.
[RH Premiere] #100Trill: "Aye Bitch" (feat. Truth G)
Over the weekend, Grade Aplus tweeted, "We got the most ignant shit for [you] to ride to work to on Monday..." He said it, not me: this new #100Trill track, "Aye Bitch," embraces the "ignance" right from the beginning of the song with MikeJaxx setting the tone with the first bar of "Aye bitch, that pussy goooood." Grade and Jaxx, joined by Truth G, are very obviously having fun, which has been a common theme throughout each of the #100Trill songs that have been released thus far ("'93" and "Chain Clean"). There's a time and place for everything, as both Grade and Jaxx have shown with their previous work, and #100Trill shows that there is time to just cut loose and be ignant.
Black Matt: "Don't Blow My High" (feat. Kami de Chukwu)
While we've heard from Kami de Chukwu recently, he's come back for more, this time with my LOD brother Black Matt at the wheel. The two collaborated together for this new new, "Don't Blow My High." Matt comes out of the gates with high energy in his rapid-fire delivery while Kami slows the tempo for a moment; trust me, it's only for a moment.
I'm definitely looking forward to hearing some more Black Matt music, man. We're LOD, spread some good stuff my way!
ShowYouSuck: "Wayne Gretzky (CONGRATS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS HOCKEY RULEZ)"
About two hours ago, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup with two goals in 17 seconds. While the majority of the city took to the streets in a sports-fueled riot, ShowYouSuck was with MikeJaxx to record a quick loosie to commemorate the Blackhawks' 5th Stanley Cup. Rapping over French Montana's "Ain't Worried About Nothin'," Show's "Wayne Gretzky (CONGRATS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS HOCKEY RULEZ)" is tinged with hockey-inspired raps, name dropping the one hockey player (not named Casey Jones) that everybody knows, Wayne Gretzky. Sports!
Congratulations, Chicago Blackhawks. Congratulations hockey. Congratulations Chicago. Congratulations, rap music.