What I’m Listening To

Looking for new, dope music to love and brag to your friends how you found it first? Of course you are, that’s why I am posting all of the tracks I am really digging right now that you WON’T find on the radio or TV.

 

Talib Kweli & Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) – Fix Up - Single  

 

Wait, is BlackStar back?! Hard to tell for now, but the rumors just got a lot hotter after the legendary duo dropped ‘Fix Up’ last week. The track is even sweeter being a rare Madlib production, completing the holy trinity for backpacking hip hop heads.

 

 

MellowedHype – Copkiller Feat. Earl Sweatshirt - Single  

 

This track is about a year old but I figured I’d add it on here being so dope yet not so well known. I’ve had numerous friends recommend MellowedHype to me over this year, but like all of Odd Future’s projects, I am not a huge fan but dig a few tracks. ‘CopKiller’ is – and don’t take the name seriously – an example of how talented these guys are, with an experimental beat and crazy but intelligent lyrics. The highlight is Earl’s verse, this dude is supremely talented, now we just have to wait until he’s 18 to hear him again haha.

 

 

Immortal Technique – The Martyr - The Martyr  

 

The title track on Immortal’s dope new mixtape has everything the revolutionary emcee’s passionate fans – including myself – are looking for. A great intro sample, an progressively epic beat, and Tech’s fact-based hardcore delivery.

 

 

Wu Tang Clan – Black Diamonds (Feat. Ghostface Killah, Roc Marciano & Killa Sin- Legendary Weapons  

 

Real Wu fans know their more recent “albums” are more like loose projects with hordes of featured nobody’s and filler beats. Ah, but amidst any mountain of music by such influential artists some gems are inevitably formed. ‘Black Diamonds’ is dope because of its dark beats, decent bars, and the fact the Ghostface can deliver a verse with more violence than any emcee as talented as he is.

 

 

J. Cole – ‘Lost Ones’ - Cole World: The Sideline Story  

 

This track – a play on words on Jay-Z’s eulogistic track on Kingdom Come might be Cole’s best on the album. His clever lyrical ability “now you flippin’ like reciprocals” and “she missed her period like typos” and detailed yet impartial storytelling tie this track together over a dope self-produced beat, even if the track is about abortion…”

 

 

Jay Electronica Feat. Mobb Deep – ‘Call of Duty’ – Single  

 

The latest in obscure but dope as hell releases from the equally mysterious Jay Electronica is a much of what we’ve grown to expect from the nomadic emcee. It features a political sample to intro, dope lyrics throughout, and no hint and when Act II – his debut album is coming out! Mobb Deep does their part too on this nice track.

 

 

Common – ‘Blue Sky’ – The Dreamer, The Believer (To Be Released: December 20th) 

 

Is that an Electric Light Orchestra sample on a hip hop song? Common, the most underground, I mean conscious, err popular, and overall awesome artist stretches his pop-infused yet intelligent raps even further towards a genre-less but sweet direction. I am honestly unsure but very excited about what his new album will bring.