ShowYouSuck: "Flip Phone" (prod. by Thelonious Martin)
Remember when flip phones weren't just burners or trap phones, but the peak of cellular technology? Times have definitely changed, but producer extraordinaire Thelonious Martin keeps it retro with ShowYouSuck's latest, "Flip Phone." Previewed live at a few shows, the One Man Pizza Party 4: Slice After Death track tells the story of a special lady that became not-so-special after she moved to New York.
Also announced with the "Flip Phone" drop is the news that ShowYouSuck's next album will be through our friends at Closed Sessions. Congratulations to both ShowYouSuck and Closed Sessions for the news! Don't forget that One Man Pizza Party 4: Slice After Death will be coming out on July 23rd (next week!) through Mishka. Don't forget to vote ShowYouSuck to play this summer's North Coast Music Festival.
(P.S. We don't think you're weaker than Dylan, Show... even if he is the greatest rapper of all time.)
[via Closed Sessions]
[Mixtape] Nick Astro: Super16
Super16 has been a long time coming. Nick Astro made his public debut with RockHop Flavored Tea last year that gave a hint at the Chicago rapper's musical aesthetics, opting for the atypical "hip hop sound." However, the real push towards his musical growth was first seen in "Food for Tomorrow." Since then (hell, before then even), Nick Astro has been pushing hard to make Super16 the perfect project that he feels it ought to be. I've been lucky enough to be a part of the ride in my own capacity, helping him document his first trip to SXSW, a few live shows, interviews, music videos, and more.
Through the journey, I've seen first-hand just how hard Astro works and how dedicated he is to his craft. The passion translates into how complete Super16 sounds, right down to the subtleties in vocal and production features worded as "co-starring" and "scored," staying true to the Super 16 film motif. On that same note, vocal features include Raffinae, Loona Dae, TheMind, Auggie the 9th, Legit, Chandler London, RealShannonD, Britney D., and production features include Peter CottonTale X Savier, Holy Other, IBCLASSIC, Sani, NapsTheLionMan, Miles August, Saba, Mr. Int, Dee Lilly, Miles August, and Nick Astro himself.
It feels good to know that Super16 is finally here for everybody to listen to. Listen to the album straight through and let my LOD brother tell you his story. Take in all the shine, Quez; you've earned it.
ShowYouSuck: "Straight Edge XXX"
One of the most iconic images in punk rock is Minor Threat's ironic use of a beer bottle man carrying a beer. Ian MacKaye, singer for the seminal 80s DC hardcore band, inadvertently jumpstarted a subculture with the song "Straight Edge," giving a name to his ideologies against drinking, smoking, and doing drugs. He expanded on what it meant to be straight edge in "Out of Step," growling the memorable lines, "I don't drink/I don't smoke/I don't fuck/At least I can fucking think/I can't keep up, I can't keep up, I can't keep up/Out of step with the world." Finally, the ostracized had a message and a figure to champion in a subculture that was full of heavy drugs and drinking.
It's been 30 years since "Straight Edge" came out, yet the movement is still loud and alive. Hardliners will preach MacKaye's word as law, condemning those that don't share their views, resulting in the straight edge label being given a negative name. However, not many that live edge are that militant - ShowYouSuck is proof of this. You may know him personally or have seen his interview with Straight Edge Worldwide on what it means to be edge, but his first single off of One Man Pizza Party 4, "Straight Edge XXX," is Show's public declaration of being edge after multiple allusions found throughout his One Man Pizza Party series.
Rapping over El-P's "Overly Dramatic Truth," the Chicago rapper shares his views on living a clean and sober life. If you've ever been to a ShowYouSuck show or seen him at a party, you know he has as much fun, if not more, as everybody else drinking and smoking with the added benefit of a fatter wallet and no risk of a hangover the next morning. Simply put: ShowYouSuck isn't anti-drinking/smoking, he's just pro-fun. "Straight Edge XXX" also gives a glimpse at a deeper, more personal style of writing for ShowYouSuck, which perfectly suits the end of his One Man Pizza Party series.
Listen to "Straight Edge XXX" below. If you want to see ShowYouSuck show you how to have some straight edge fun, vote for him to play this summer's North Coast Music Festival! All of the contest details can be found here.
http://youtu.be/i2zP5WupqvM
[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] Chandler London: "TheDrug3.3"
While Chandler London made an appearance on Netherfriends' New CHI-t recently, it's been awhile since we've had a solo drop from the Science of Sleep rapper. Chandler's simply kept his head down in order to get everything straightened away for his next mixtape, Requiem for a Dream. However, he hit us up with some new new to remind everybody what he's capable of.
"TheDrug3.3" features Chandler rapping on Theophilus London's "The Drug," remixed and reproduced by OH!Quinn. Don't be fooled by the song's optimistic-sounding beat; Chandler is still just as self-reflective in "TheDrug3.3" as he was in the majority of the songs off of The Science of Sleep. Most rappers like to flex on others or build their bravado up; Chandler, on the other hand, would rather be open and honest in his music, even if that honesty might not portray him in the best light.
Considering the themes and content in Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, which analyzed various forms of addiction, Chandler's Requiem for a Dream should be just as dark in tone. In saying that, "TheDrug3.3" serves as an upbeat song to bring you up before the onslaught of Requiem songs drop to take you to your dark place. Get ready, because 2013 will be Chandler London's year.
[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!