Had to do a throwback to Valentines Tape 2 today. Tis the season and all that. Just Humble Among doing what he does over a killer Bad Mind beat.
Not too long ago, I was on Twitter demanding that the world get more Lil Ranch, and boy howdy, here we go. “APPLE PIE” exceeded my expectations. Lil Ranch goes all the way in over a Caleb Lodish composition, showing off his dexterity and musicality in equal measure. This is a catchy ol’ banger and a damn strong start to his 2023. Expect him to make a lot more noise by summer.
A deeply personal and brutally honest new single from Highh Def, who has been a standout ever since his debut. This cat has a lot of soul — and skills — the whole Write Hooked crew is consistently impressive. As ever, Slim Tofer handles the production here with professional aplomb.
Another standout track from a standout album, this one showcases the futuristic stylings of 802 ex-pat Vader Tha Villin, whose entire catalog is incredible. Naturally, this is being posted today because the GUMBO Album Release Party is going down tonight at the Double E in Essex with an all-star lineup. You couldn’t do better on this particular Saturday night and, I believe, a few tickets are still available.
A sweet single off the incredible — simply incredible, bud — new LP from Danny James, Heatwave. BTV music heads will probably recognize Mr. James as keyboardist & songwriter Danny Whitney, but the rebrand is fitting because the man has evolved to a whole other level. Joining him is 99 Neighbors sparkplug Maari, an equally elastic and talented artist, and the combination is a solid gold yacht.
A collaborative instrumental joint from 802 superproducer (he earned that, deal with it) Rico James. Longtime listeners will recognize Santos from the 2019 EP “Weekend in Mayfield,” which was also a lovely, musical set.
Freestyle Cologne is the duo of NYC underground fixture LoDeck and recent 802 transplant Boxguts, a prolific and wicked talented addition to the scene. Their latest joint is a collab with rap legend Sadat X and LA hustler Sutterhouse Swish. This is that real raw shit, just bars upon bars, master craftsmen flexing simply to keep each other entertained. You get it or you don’t, and rest assured, they don’t care much either way.
A combo like this comes with high expectations attached, and sure enough, these two knocked it out of the fuckin’ ballpark with this tight tribute to the genre they love. Eyedos and Subtex both deliver packed verses and the track itself is a pure pagan banger, thanks to Dr. G on the beat. When it comes to straight spitters, Eyedos is one of the very best the 802 has to offer, and he’s gearing up for a big run of new material this year. Get ready.
Freddie Losambe’s latest project daydreams & folly was a short set packed with dope tracks, but this cut was perhaps my favorite. As a hack local “critic” put it, “the two offer up an allegorical portrait of how even deeply broken men can redeem themselves — or, at the very least, find some peace.” Whatever that means, right? What matters is, the track is dope.
Enjoy a big old slab of pure dope to enhance your Sunday. This is the first half of Essential Knowledge, Vol. 1 — which is one of Es-K’s finest projects to date. That’s really saying something, considering how consistent and prolific he is. Word on the streets is he’s cooking up a sequel, so this is well worth revisiting on a chill weekend.