New Joint – Blaq Poet

Blaq Poet – “Blaq Kruger” (Man Bites Dog Records / 2013)

The Queensbridge legend takes some inspiration from everyone’s favourite 80s horror character on this Stu Bangas-produced track from the album “Blaq Death”.

New Joint – D Strong & Macapella / Aarophat

D Strong & Macapella ft. Aarophat – “Connected” (@Streezee / 2013)

Lyrical food for thought taken from the West Coast emcee’s “Sacrifice” album produced entirely by the UK’s Macapella.

Grand Capo Album Trailer – Royal Flush / Grand Papa Tra

Trailer for the forthcoming Grand Papa Tra-produced “Grand Capo” album from Queens, NY veteran Royal Flush featuring appearances from Mic Geronimo, Lil’ Fame, Nutso and more.

52 Best Albums & EPs Of 2013 (Part Three) – Ill Bill / J-Zone / Dirt Platoon etc.

Ill Bill – “The Grimy Awards” (Uncle Howie) – The Brooklyn emcee kept one foot in the gritty past of NYC and the other striding towards an apocalyptic future as he shed light on both his influences and pivotal life moments throughout this extremely personal project. With production from the likes of Large Professor, DJ Muggs and DJ Premier, Bill dropped arguably his most impressive work to date (and an honorable mention has to go to Q-Unique for one of the year’s best verses on “L’Amour East”).

Omniscence – “Sharp Objects EP” (Omniscence.BandCamp.Com) – Having made his name in the 90s with underground classics such as “Amazin'” and “Touch Y’all”, the North Carolina punchline king returned like he hadn’t missed a beat, displaying his agile lyricism on this EP built on the strong, jazzy head-nodding sonics of Australian producer Debonair P.

Dam-Funk & Snoop Dogg – “7 Days Of Funk” (Stones Throw) – Getting back to his G-Funk roots, Snoopzilla got in touch with his inner Bootsy Collins by uniting with talented producer Dam-Funk for this synth-heavy blast of retro goodness that sounded like Tha Dogg Pound had gatecrashed a 1983 Bar-Kays jam session. Ooooweeee!!!

J-Zone – “Peter Pan Syndrome” (Old Maid Entertainment) – Providing theme music for thirty-something Hip-Hop heads everywhere faced with the cold realities of growing-up, Zone Loc’s latest opus found the Queens, NY producer-on-the-mic navigating the pressures of full-time employment, property ownership and relationships with his usual blend of sarcastic humour and musical inventiveness.

DJ Skizz – “B.Q.E. (The Brooklyn-Queens Experience)” (Gawd Of Math Music) – Amidst ongoing debates around the topic of New York rap losing its identity, producer DJ Skizz enlisted the likes of Masta Ace, Al’ Tariq and Rasheed Chappell for a hardcore shot to the dome that needed to be listened to whilst wearing a hoodie and Timberlands to be fully appreciated.

Strange Neighbour – “The Heisenberg EP” (Revorg Records) – Taking his inspiration from the anti-hero of cult TV show “Breaking Bad”, UK producer Strange Neighbour got busy in the lab and cooked-up this drum-heavy batch of bangers featuring the varied lyrical styles of Phoenix Da Icefire, Oliver Sudden, Big Toast and more.

Durag Dynasty – “360 Waves” (Nature Sounds) – The Alchemist continued to spend the year churning out ridiculously dope beats with this full-length crew effort from Planet Asia, Tristate and Killer Ben. With the West Coast trio each spitting sharp lyrical darts, Alchemist’s stripped-down beats provided the right amount of thump to ensure said darts exploded on impact as intended.

Chairman Maf – “1976” (ChairmanMaf.BandCamp.Com) – UK producer Maf’s debut full-length instrumental project was a masterclass in creating mood music. Ranging from ethereal boom-bap to intergalactic soul, “1976” took the listener on an unpredictable sonic journey which had a worthwhile destination around every corner.

Skyzoo & Antman Wonder – “An Ode To Reasonable Doubt” (Loyalty Digital Corp) – The Brooklyn lyricist paid homage to Jigga’s classic debut respectfully and creatively on this Antman Wonder-produced EP. Retreading the musical steps of golden-era Hov definitely meant attempting to fill some big shoes, but this brilliant eight-track release found Skyzoo adding just as much to “Reasonable Doubt” as he was taking. No regrets here.

Dirt Platoon – “War Face” (Shinigamie Records) – Straight off the streets of Baltimore, duo Raf Almighty and Snook Da Crook cracked the concrete beats provided here by French producer Kyo Itachi like a pair of lyrical jackhammers. Rough, rugged and raw, “War Face”  left your eardrums feeling like they’d just been pummelled by the neighbourhood bully.

Tommy Tyler – “The Golden Section” (SonsPhonetic.BandCamp.Com) – The Irish emcee delivered a moody, hypnotic five-track EP that drew the listener into a sombre world further enhanced by the bass-heavy production of Mook. Music to listen to with the lights off.

Ryan Proctor

Check Part One, Part Two and Part Four.

New Joint – Ugly Heroes

Ugly Heroes – “Pay Attention” (Mello Music Group / 2013)

Apollo Brown, Verbal Kent and Red Pill drop a new track featured on the forthcoming Mello Music Group compilation “Mandala Vol. 2 – Today’s Mathematics”.

No Ideas Original Radio Stream – DJ Enyoutee / Joe Gibbs / Bey Battery / Prince Po

Latest edition of NY’s No Ideas Original radio featuring music from Busta Rhymes, Ghostface Killah and Wildelux plus guest appearances from Organized Konfusion’s Prince Po and The Brotha Mans – listen here.

In The Lab – DJ Rob Swift

Footage of legendary deejay Rob Swift getting busy working on a new track “The Masta”.

New Joint – Ty Nitty

Ty Nitty – “Tru $tory” (@TyNittyMobb / 2013)

Gotti Gator drops an emotionally-charged beat for the QB veteran to celebrate the memory of a lost friend.

New Joint – Wolves

Wolves – “God Mode” (WolvesOfRap.BandCamp.Com / 2013)

The Canadian super-crew consisting of Muneshine, D-Sisive, Ghettosocks, Bix and Timbuktu drop new visuals off their self-titled album project.

VisionBombing (Episode 6) – Psykhomantus / Mr. Dex / Mad Flow

New episode of the visual mixtape project from turntablists Psykhomantus and Mr. Dex featuring host MadFlow and clips from Jakk Frost, Fashawn, Marco Polo and more.

52 Best Albums & EPs Of 2013 (Part Two) – Demigodz / Soundsci / AG Da Coroner etc.

Demigodz – “KILLmatic” (Dirty Version Records) – An all-out hardcore Hip-Hop attack on the senses, Apathy, Celph Titled, Ryu, Esoteric and the rest of the ‘Godz reigned down lyrical fire and musical brimstone on sucker emcees, lightweight producers and internet thugs the world over on their latest collective effort. “KILLmatic” was the sonic equivalent of being kicked in the face with a scuffed Timberland boot.

Gensu Dean & Planet Asia – “Abrasions” (Mello Music Group) – West Coast veteran Asia definitely found a kindred musical spirit in Texas-raised producer Gensu Dean when the pair embarked on the recording of this full-length joint effort. Full of lyrical gymnastics, verbal food for thought and quality production, “Abrasions” was hopefully not the last time Planet Asia and Dean would be combining forces for our listening pleasure.

Sammy Dozens – “Lucid Dream” (SonsPhonetic.BandCamp.Com) – The member of Ireland’s Sons Phonetic crew stepped out into solo territory with this impressive five-track EP. Hazy, head-nodding production enveloped Dozens’ world-weary rhymes throughout the release, with the thoughtful lyricist attempting to push through the stresses of daily life in a bid to find some peace of mind.

Live Percenters – “The Corners Involved” (HiPNOTT Records) – It was always going to be a tough ask for Dukes Go Up, Mellow Drum Addict, I-Be4Evr and Physical Graffiti to match their brilliant 2012 album “The Giants Of Dropped Science”, but the East Coast crew rose to the challenge  with “The Corners Involved” and once again delivered the musical goods. Intelligent rhymes and poignant life observations gelled perfectly with production that remained raw at all times whilst also managing to provide a few sonic surprises along the way.

Soundsci – “Soundsational” (Ubiquity Records) – A dope concept album of sorts built around samples from the music of vintage soul artist Mike James Kirkland, “Soundsational” found the transatlantic team of Jonny Cuba, Ollie Teeba, Oxygen, U-George and Audessey once again firing on all creative cylinders in a blaze of old-school flavour and new-school energy. Timeless beats and rhymes.

weatherPROOF – “Dirty Naturals” (weatherPROOFMusic.Com) – New Jersey duo Remsa and Event dropped this rough diamond at the top of the year and it largely went under the radar. With a varied guest-list including Ras Kass, Louis Logic and Orifice Vulgatron of UK crew Foreign Beggars, the album effectively balanced 90s-influenced musical sensibilities with a grounded, sometimes melancholy worldview, resulting in some truly memorable moments.

AG Da Coroner – “Crushed Grapes” (Man Bites Dog Records) – With producer ATG on-hand serving up a quality selection of grimy beats, Brooklyn’s AG Da Coroner stomped through the streets of NYC  on this EP alongside the likes of Lord Nez, Meyhem Lauren and Spit Gemz. Showcasing his gruff delivery and vivid wordplay, “Crushed Grapes” set-up Da Coroner’s forthcoming “Sip The Nectar” project as one of 2014’s most anticipated albums.

Granville Sessions – “Forward” (GranvilleSessions.Com) – The London-based band returned with a worthy follow-up to their 2011 debut “No State”. Effortlessly meshing live musicianship with Hip-Hop attitude, “Forward” veered from deep funk workouts like “Ill Architecture” to head-nodders such as the reggae-influenced “Green”, with the collective riding the variety of musical styles with air-tight confidence.

Epidemic – “Somethin For Tha Listeners” (Mic-Theory Records) – Teaming-up with talented West Coast producer Esco, Florida-based duo HexOne and Tek-Nition delivered a smooth, jazzy album steeped in the horns and dusty beats of the 90s that managed to avoid sounding as if the pair were reaching too hard to relive a past era. Pure and polished, “Somethin For Tha Listeners” contained gem after gem.

Prodigy & Alchemist – “Albert Einstein” (Infamous Records) – Since his 90s heyday reppin’ the borough of QB creating murderous classics as one-half of Mobb Deep, Prodigy’s solo output has been mixed to say the least. But with long-time Mobb affiliate Alchemist behind-the-boards for this latest album, Prodigy didn’t just hit the metaphorical target, he obliterated the bullseye with non-stop automatic gun-fire. Bandana P’s threats of violence and super-thug boasts hadn’t sounded this believable or sonically appealing for a long time.

Ryan Proctor

Check Part Three here.

New Joint – Akil The MC

Akil The MC – “The Dress Rehearsal Pt. 1” (@AkilTheMC / 2013)

The veteran  West Coast emcee prepares heads for his forthcoming “Sound Check” album with some mixtape visuals.

New Joint – Early Reed / J Scienide / Kev Brown

Early Reed ft. J Scienide & Kev Brown – “Full Circle” (Low Budget Records / 2013)

Taken from the album “The Dose (The MFN Files)”.

New Joint – Talib Kweli

Talib Kweli – “Inner Monologue” (TalibKweli.Com / 2013)

Taken from the album “Gravitas” and filmed in Raleigh, North Carolina.

New Joint – Truck North

Truck North – “Bitches Brew” (@TruckNorth / 2013)

Khrysis-produced track from the Roots-affiliate’s EP “Murder By Mourning”.

52 Best Albums & EPs Of 2013 (Part One) – Spit Gemz / Lewis Parker / Boldy James etc.

With 2013 reaching its inevitable end, it’s about that time to take a look back over the last twelve months and give some well-deserved props to those artists who ensured we all had some quality music to listen to throughout the last year.

Whilst many continue to argue that Hip-Hop doesn’t have anything left to offer fans creatively, 2013 once again proved there are emcees, producers and deejays all over Planet Rock  who are still crafting beats and rhymes with both passion and integrity as their main motivation.

As always, the releases listed in this year’s round-up don’t represent the only albums and EPs that were worth checking out, but they are the projects that spent the most time blasting from my headphones and speakers.

So, once again it’s on…

Spit Gemz – “End The TV” (SpitGemz.BandCamp.Com) – Emerging from the galaxy of Queens with a razor-sharp delivery and a good ear for rugged beats, NYC’s Spit Gemz continued to carve out his own niche in the rap world with this latest full-length project. Backed by production from One-Take, Don Producci and Stu Bangas, the Outdoorsmen affiliate wove intricate verses throughout this album that encompassed everything from street knowledge and conspiracy theories to religious beliefs and old-school nostalgia. With the likes of Timeless Truth, Shabaam Sahdeeq and Ill Bill also sharing mic duties, “End The TV” stood as one of the year’s most potent doses of true-school Rotten Apple rap

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Efeks – “Contemporary Classic” (Revorg Record) – Having spent the last decade as the lyrical half of respected UK duo Prose, talented wordsmith Efeks stepped out of his creative comfort zone on his first official solo album with memorable results. Digging deep into his life experiences to give listeners a further insight into his personal world, the South London emcee utilised soulful, boom-bap-driven soundscapes from Jack Diggs, Keith Lawrence and Steady Rock to drop gems on a number of topics including fatherhood, technology and the struggles of an underground artist.

Roc Marciano – “Marci Beaucoup” (Man Bites Dog Records) – Living proof of the old adage that sometimes less is more, Strong Island’s Roc has turned crafting lo-fi beats and brilliantly understated rhymes into an artform. If last year’s “Reloaded” took a sidestep around the heavy drums of its predecessor “Marcberg”, “Marci…” stripped the production down even further, with the UN emcee and allies such as Ka, Knowledge The Pirate and AG rhyming over minimalist, pimped-out loops that hung in the air like fresh blunt smoke. The result was a unique, atmospheric album that sounded like the Hip-Hop soundtrack to a never-before-seen 70s blaxploitation flick.

Kid Tsu – “The Chase” (Headbop Music) – Teaming-up with NYC’s Headbop team, Australian-based producer Kid Tsunami was finally able to release his long-awaited compilation project in 2013 featuring an impressive list of golden-era greats such as OC, Percee P and Kool G. Rap. Clearly determined not to be outshone by his own guests, Tsunami ensured his production remained consistently dope throughout, balancing melodic samples and classic breaks with a natural, organic energy that kept everything cohesive.

Lewis Parker – “The Puzzle Episode Two: The Glass Ceiling” (King Underground Records) – The veteran UK producer-on-the-mic returned with another sonic Hip-Hop espionage thriller of epic proportions packed with flawless, dusty-fingered production, cinematic concepts and appearances from the likes of $amhill, Mista Spyce and John Robinson. Masterfully executed, “The Glass Ceiling” further cemented Parker’s reputation as one of the nicest producers in the game.

Gore Elohim – “Electric Lucifer” (Supercoven Records) – The former Non-Phixion member proved that he definitely hadn’t mellowed with age on this gritty follow-up to 2004’s cult favourite “The Art Of Dying”. Sounding like it had been recorded in a secret underground bunker somewhere in Brooklyn, “Electric Lucifer” found Goretex immersing himself in a shadowy world of government corruption, alien abductions and Illuminati conspiracies. As the man himself said, it’s that sinister s**t.

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Boldy James – “My 1st Chemistry Set” (Decon Records) – Detroit’s James has been bubbling on the underground for a few years now, with 3rd Bass’s MC Serch being one of many early supporter of Boldy’s brand of raw, unapologetic street-hop during his time on Motor City airwaves. But whilst the low-key rapper’s previous material was definitely noteworthy, pairing James with the brooding, hypnotic production of Alchemist for this album was a match made in a dark, D-Town back-alley.

CZARFACE (7L & Esoteric / Inspectah Deck) – “CZARFACE” (Brick Records) – With its brilliant Marvel-inspired cover art and WWF vocal samples, this full-length collabo from Boston’s 7L & Esoteric and the Wu’s Rebel INS tapped straight into the memory banks of anyone who grew-up as a kid in the 80s discovering Hip-Hop, collecting comics and watching Saturday morning wrestling. The fact that the beats and rhymes contained here were equally as dope as the album’s artwork was almost just a bonus.

Supastition – “The Blackboard EP” (Reform School Music) – Returning off a self-imposed hiatus from the music business that began in 2010, North Carolina’s Supastition gave fans everything they were hoping for and more on this hard-hitting release. Getting back to making music purely on his own terms, “The Blackboard EP” bristled with passion and energy as Supa demolished beats from the likes of Marco Polo and M-Phazes whilst exorcising personal demons, re-evaluating his place in the game and re-igniting his love for making quality Hip-Hop. Welcome back!

Klaus Layer – “The Adventures Of Captain Crook” (Redefinition Records) – German-based producer Klaus Layer definitely did a thorough job of showcasing his seemingly effortless mastery of the MPC on this largely instrumental release. Bursting with full-bodied beats drenched in echoing horns and soulful samples, “The Adventures Of…” took the listener on a sonic voyage that was as therapeutic and relaxing as it was entertaining.

Ryan Proctor

Check Part Two here.

New Joint – Junclassic

Junclassic – “Glorious” (@Junclassic / 2013)

Taken from the NY emcee’s forthcoming Mr. Troy-produced project “Thinking Out Loud”.

Thank You James Brown Mix Stream – Psykhomantus / DJ Looby

Dope mix paying homage to the late, great Godfather Of Soul featuring classics such as “Super Bad”, “The Boss”, “Funky President” and many more – get on the good foot here.

New Joint – GiGiO / BPos

GiGiO ft. Bpos – “Everybody Loves Hip-Hop” (@GiGioRaps / 2013)

[youtube:http://youtu.be/BYeDh61v3Wo%5D

Funk-fuelled West Coast vibes produced by Dren Doh and taken from the forthcoming album “The Lonely Talent Show”.

New Joint – Skanks

Skanks – “Thank God” (Shinigamie Records / 2013)

Kyo Itachi-produced track from the Bankai Fam member’s forthcoming album “The Shinigamie Flowfessional”.