Edition 2 of The Fix with L$treet |
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International Top 5*
*In no particular order
FAT JOE FT DIAMOND D - ROCK SHYT (Atlantic)
Fat Joe has been too quiet over the last few years, but out of nowhere he has returned with records for fans of any era of his music. I could have just have easily chosen his “club” single “All The Way Up” featuring French Montana and Remy Ma, which is literally unescapable at the moment. But for this record here he returned to his Diggin’ In The Crates heritage by reaching out to fellow crew member Diamond D for that signature DITC knock only D can provide, and it’s a surprising return to his musical roots almost two decades on from his debut.
KANYE WEST FT SAMPHA - SAINT PABLO (G.O.O.D/Def Jam)
Kanye West (insert your own opinion here.) but however you may feel about the Yeezus one thing is certain, you will respect his work ethic, and after promising new music for oh so long for his ride or die fans, now he can’t seem to turn off the creativity. My biggest complaint with this record is that it wasn’t included in the world’s now first organic and living album “The Life Of Pablo”, complete with iconic sample and loop from Jay-Z’s cult classic “Where You From?” to the stadium vocals of Sampha. This is 6-minutes of truths and confessions and a unique look inside one of the most gifted, cursed, talented, ignorant, humble, egotistical, brilliant, sociopathic minds of our times, making it seem that TURBOGFX might just be on the way this year after all.
YOUNG THUG - WITH THEM (300 Ent.)
Young Thug seems to struggle with the quantity over quality when it comes to his constant releases and mixtapes, and never really was thought to have a real musical plan. Even more confusing was the randomness to his release schedule, was the fact that he is managed by hip hop’s most loved/hated behind the scenes deal-maker Lyor Cohen. However when this record hits as the intro to the 3rd instalment of Thugga’s slime season series, this is game time for hip hop’s most polarising MC, and he delivers that signature thought provoking wordplay over a Mike-WiLL Made-It production, slowing down the flow just a bit to get off his punch lines with more clarity. This serves as a preview to one of the most talked about and – no one of the most critiqued albums of 2016 with Hy!£UN35 (pronounced Hi-Tunes) dropping soon.
Young Thug seems to struggle with the quantity over quality when it comes to his constant releases and mixtapes, and never really was thought to have a real musical plan. Even more confusing was the randomness to his release schedule, was the fact that he is managed by hip hop’s most loved/hated behind the scenes deal-maker Lyor Cohen. However when this record hits as the intro to the 3rd instalment of Thugga’s slime season series, this is game time for hip hop’s most polarising MC, and he delivers that signature thought provoking wordplay over a Mike-WiLL Made-It production, slowing down the flow just a bit to get off his punch lines with more clarity. This serves as a preview to one of the most talked about and – no one of the most critiqued albums of 2016 with Hy!£UN35 (pronounced Hi-Tunes) dropping soon.
N.O.R.E - MOMENTS (Militainment)
Noreaga has led a unique life in a lot of pivotal moments in hip hop history and his signature personality and story-telling delivery has always made him one of hip hop’s most respected and most versatile MC’s. With just as many records that are loved by underground purists as there are to R&B music fans, as he helped crossover both those genre’s in the late 90’s into the early 00’s. After being tired of being a star on the interview circuit with his amazing stories of living through the 90’s in New York hip hop, he returned to his roots with this song. He recently revealed after finally meeting self-confessed, long-time fan, super producer Noah “40” Shebib of OVO fame, he could not stop playing the song and how it reminded him of NORE’s classic “Sometimes” or “I Love My Life”. If you know that Noreaga from 1997 you are going to LOVE this record and as a whole the entire Drunk Uncle LP. If you get a spare 5 minutes the visuals for this record are also amazing as NORE opens up his photo albums for us all to see with some legendary photos with some of the culture’s legends. Like he says, it’s all about the moments.
A$AP FERG FT. SCHOOLBOY Q - LET IT BANG (Polo Grounds/TDE)
A$AP Ferg has been low key grinding the last 12 months, strategically dropping previews from his long awaited follow up album to “Trap Lord” which was understandably delayed due to the sudden passing of A$AP Yams who had always served as the creative director of both his and Rocky’s projects. First came the gigantic “New Level” with Future which brought out the best in both MC’s and next up comes this special underground cut which hopefully leads to an album release sooner rather than later. A homage to the great 90’s NY storytelling tracks of the golden era which Ferg grew up on, this features real life recollections about his uncle. Which to his mind would remind him of the late Old Dirty Bastard when he was out on the streets of Harlem, which sparked the idea of having Ol Dirty’s son Young Dirty Bastard play a fictional version of Ferg’s uncle in the track’s film clip. A perfectly blended feature from Schoolboy Q, who is also close to dropping a much anticipated sophomore project of his own this year, leaves you with an end product that serves as a memory to what could have been during that 90’s era. If the great MC’s of the time put aside coastal territorial differences to make great music for the fans, be thankful in 2016 the current generation of hip hop fans get to experience that with tracks like this. Two high calibre MC’s putting ego aside for career growth.
National Top 5*
*In no particular order
A.B ORIGINAL - 2 BLACK 2 STRONG (Golden Era Records)
We had all been warned they were coming, but it seemed no one believed it was just gonna be like this, and it well never be the same again. Destroying industry created terms like “indigenous” hip hop comes the formation of A.B Originals assembled in the style only seen once before in late ’87 when the immortal Hulk Hogan teamed up with Macho Man Randy Savage to form the Mega Powers. Trials & Briggs are “Mega Powers” of the national scene and this week they unleashed 3 tracks from the forthcoming album as they open up for label brothers Hilltop Hoods around the country on the Restrung Arena Tour. Take nothing away from “Firing Squad” and “Dead In A Minute”, but this is that sonic hammer to the face provided by Perth’s own and one of the countries most respected beatsmith's Dazastah. The punch lines have to be rewinded to be believed, yes, they really did name some names in the first 4 bars and put every single MC in the country on notice. Make sure you bow down to these A.B Originals when they’re westward bound later this month with a show at the Perth Arena and a special fan event at Northbridge Brewing Co. later on this month and be on the lookout for what is sure to be a must have album of 2016.
*In no particular order
A.B ORIGINAL - 2 BLACK 2 STRONG (Golden Era Records)
We had all been warned they were coming, but it seemed no one believed it was just gonna be like this, and it well never be the same again. Destroying industry created terms like “indigenous” hip hop comes the formation of A.B Originals assembled in the style only seen once before in late ’87 when the immortal Hulk Hogan teamed up with Macho Man Randy Savage to form the Mega Powers. Trials & Briggs are “Mega Powers” of the national scene and this week they unleashed 3 tracks from the forthcoming album as they open up for label brothers Hilltop Hoods around the country on the Restrung Arena Tour. Take nothing away from “Firing Squad” and “Dead In A Minute”, but this is that sonic hammer to the face provided by Perth’s own and one of the countries most respected beatsmith's Dazastah. The punch lines have to be rewinded to be believed, yes, they really did name some names in the first 4 bars and put every single MC in the country on notice. Make sure you bow down to these A.B Originals when they’re westward bound later this month with a show at the Perth Arena and a special fan event at Northbridge Brewing Co. later on this month and be on the lookout for what is sure to be a must have album of 2016.
KERSER - WHO ARE YOU? (ABK Records)
Similar to the way Future is debated amongst heads in the US about where his spot stands amongst the leading figures of the culture, the most debated MC in the land continues to polarise opinion amongst the heads in this country. But opinions have never stopped his creative drive to continually provide fresh material for his ever growing and loyal fanbase and this brand new track which appeared fresh with visuals 3 days ago shows why Kerser - no matter what your opinion of his music - continues to grow into an MC that is leading the next generation of MC’s into the next chapter of hip hop in this country. Continuing to play by his own set of rules, releasing songs with no warning and continuing to display a variety of different sonic soundscapes with his choice of producers. After deciding to break his formula of keeping things in-house with long time collaborator Nebs, this is a whole new Kerser who threatens to break every “rule” there is in the industry to show you that it doesn’t always have to be done by “selling out” to the demands of a major label deal and alienating the fans who created your wave in the first place.
Similar to the way Future is debated amongst heads in the US about where his spot stands amongst the leading figures of the culture, the most debated MC in the land continues to polarise opinion amongst the heads in this country. But opinions have never stopped his creative drive to continually provide fresh material for his ever growing and loyal fanbase and this brand new track which appeared fresh with visuals 3 days ago shows why Kerser - no matter what your opinion of his music - continues to grow into an MC that is leading the next generation of MC’s into the next chapter of hip hop in this country. Continuing to play by his own set of rules, releasing songs with no warning and continuing to display a variety of different sonic soundscapes with his choice of producers. After deciding to break his formula of keeping things in-house with long time collaborator Nebs, this is a whole new Kerser who threatens to break every “rule” there is in the industry to show you that it doesn’t always have to be done by “selling out” to the demands of a major label deal and alienating the fans who created your wave in the first place.
P-MONEY - THE KING (Butterz Records)
Somebody once told me that if you remove P-Money from New Zealand hip hop would there even be a thriving culture there? That is not entirely fair but the fact the argument was made is a tribute to the fact THAT’S how big his influence has been and, of course, now the boy is internationally known, and its bootleg’s like this that serve as a memo to all that P-Money is still N-I-C-E on the pads son. Complete with Rev Run vocal stabs, this is 2-minutes of beautiful ugly from the NZ Pioneer. Go find it now before those sample vampires make this disappear from the internets forever.
Somebody once told me that if you remove P-Money from New Zealand hip hop would there even be a thriving culture there? That is not entirely fair but the fact the argument was made is a tribute to the fact THAT’S how big his influence has been and, of course, now the boy is internationally known, and its bootleg’s like this that serve as a memo to all that P-Money is still N-I-C-E on the pads son. Complete with Rev Run vocal stabs, this is 2-minutes of beautiful ugly from the NZ Pioneer. Go find it now before those sample vampires make this disappear from the internets forever.
REMI. FT SAMPA THE GREAT - FOR GOOD (House Of Beige)
Watching Remi over the last 12 months grow into a genuine international threat has been such a cool story, displaying a unique ability to be Australian without having the label of being just another “Aussie” rapper overseas has been refreshing. Often in the last months over in Europe you can find Remi’s name on the same bill as some of the best MC’s in the world, so to say that the eyes are on him for his follow up album are an understatement. After ARIA-nominated success the last time around, Remi went straight to this country’s current musical darling Sampa The Great for the formula to break the sophomore curse. This first preview from his latest project, is a perfect return for him to turn his independently ran House Of Beige Records. An amazing platform to showcase a unique musical style to the world, stop sleeping on the sounds of Remi!
BITTER BELIEF - SPINAL MYSTERY (Syllabolix)
SBX Member and long-time Perth hip hop favourite Bitter Belief has been on a two and a bit year hiatus since last dropping “The Gallery” in late 2013. But has returned this month with a brand new album “Horizon Haze” which is a dedicated shift in song content from Bitter who makes a conscious effort to reflect the changes in his life in his music throughout this new album. This track “Spinal Mystery” is a left jab to the ear lobes complete with surgeon cuts from his long-time musical collaborator Rob Shaker. All serve as a platform to showcase why Bitter Belief is constantly slept on when the topic of top tier MC’s in the country is brought up, because he always has stayed true to his local roots. Hopefully this conscious push to make a positive influence on the next generation of MC’s in Perth will push Bitter B to the heights that have long been suspected he could reach with his music.
SBX Member and long-time Perth hip hop favourite Bitter Belief has been on a two and a bit year hiatus since last dropping “The Gallery” in late 2013. But has returned this month with a brand new album “Horizon Haze” which is a dedicated shift in song content from Bitter who makes a conscious effort to reflect the changes in his life in his music throughout this new album. This track “Spinal Mystery” is a left jab to the ear lobes complete with surgeon cuts from his long-time musical collaborator Rob Shaker. All serve as a platform to showcase why Bitter Belief is constantly slept on when the topic of top tier MC’s in the country is brought up, because he always has stayed true to his local roots. Hopefully this conscious push to make a positive influence on the next generation of MC’s in Perth will push Bitter B to the heights that have long been suspected he could reach with his music.
So, there it is fiends, there is the most in demand tracks in April both here in this country and across the pond in the USA. All tracks I’m playing either at home, at a show, or in the clubs right now.
My next update will be a special trip to the WAM Awards with my brother Beni Bjah who’s phenomenal single “SURViVOR” has been nominated for Song of the Year and we will be performing it on the night. I’ll have my phone on record to capture you all some exclusive visuals on what its like to be at WA music’s night of nights.
A LOT of local tours coming up including Psych Ward Affiliate Mysc LP Launch on the 9th, plus Sydney giants Spit Syndicate stop through town on the 22-23rd of this month, plus a TON more so head out and show your support when you can! Catch you all in a few weeks with my next update!
L$T
My next update will be a special trip to the WAM Awards with my brother Beni Bjah who’s phenomenal single “SURViVOR” has been nominated for Song of the Year and we will be performing it on the night. I’ll have my phone on record to capture you all some exclusive visuals on what its like to be at WA music’s night of nights.
A LOT of local tours coming up including Psych Ward Affiliate Mysc LP Launch on the 9th, plus Sydney giants Spit Syndicate stop through town on the 22-23rd of this month, plus a TON more so head out and show your support when you can! Catch you all in a few weeks with my next update!
L$T